Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken has demanded rollback of the “anti-working class” proposals in the Union Budget, which he said was detrimental to six crore employees across the country, covered under the Employees Provident Fund (EPF)Act “as the BJP-led Central Government was playing with their future.” He said the Congress strongly condemns the Budget proposals that would adversely affect the employees. He said his party will be holding a massive demonstration, along with thousands of employees of various organisations from Jantar Mantar to Parliament on Monday.
Addressing a Press conference, Maken said the Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Act 1952 was passed by both the Houses of Parliament to ensure that when an employee retires after attaining the age of retirement, which is now 60 years, an employee gets his/her life savings in the form of EPF, which is 12 per cent of the wages contributed by the employee during his/her career and equal share contributed by the employer. He said it was a matter of shame that the BJP-led Union Government has decided to levy a tax on 60 per cent of their EPF, which is “unethical and infringement” on the right of the employees.
Other leaders present at the Press conference were Chattar Singh, IA Siddiqui and former Indian Youth Congress general secretary Jitendra Baghel.
According to Maken, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had also announced that if an industrialist wants to set up a new unit, he would not have to make the employer’s EPF contribution for the first three years and the Government, instead, has proposed to pay 8.33 per cent in the EPF for the first three years. This will deprive the low paid workers of their legitimate claim of monthly saving of 12 per cent of their own contribution as well as 12 per cent of the employers’ contribution.