Unclaimed Provident Funds
Unclaimed Provident Funds
There is no unclaimed amount in Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF). However, as per para 72(6) of the Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme, 1952, certain amounts are classified as ‘Inoperative Accounts’ in which contributions have not been received for thirty six months continuously. All such Inoperative Accounts have, however, definite claimants.
As per Annual Account of Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Rs. 27,448.54 crores has been classified as Inoperative Accounts of Employees’ Provident Fund as on 31.03.2014.
The reasons for such inoperative accounts are -
• The members after switching the job from one covered establishment to another do not get the funds transferred to their present account. As a result, the old account becomes inoperative after thirty six months.
• The interest earned on the deposits with EPFO is exempted from Income Tax. Therefore, there exists an incentive of leaving the balance amount with EPFO.
• Such deposits are safe & secure investments and cannot be attached even by a decree of any Court.
However, the following steps have been taken by EPFO to facilitate the beneficiaries to claim their provident fund accumulations:-
• EPFO has launched a portal namely ‘Inoperative Accounts Online Help Desk’ to assist the members to identify their inoperative accounts.
• Instructions have been issued to reconcile the Inoperative Accounts on priority and further identify the beneficiaries through employers.
• EPFO has allotted unique permanent numbers to its members called Universal Account Number (UAN) which will enable to identify the members without intermediation of the employers.
Besides, awareness campaigns have been undertaken through the electronic as well as print media from time to time to educate the members to transfer or withdraw their PF accumulations.
As a result of the above steps, the total amount paid to the beneficiaries from inoperative accounts has shown an increase in the last three years. The total amount paid out of inoperative accounts during the last three years is enlisted
Year
|
Amount settled (Rupees in crore)
|
2011-12
|
955.51
|
2012-13
|
2890.40
|
2013-14
|
4316.71
|
This was stated by Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, the Minister of State(IC) for Labour and Employment in response to a written question in Rajya Sabha today
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Social Security and Facilities for Workers
As per the report of the Annual Survey of Industries conducted by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the details of workers employed in various factories during 2010-11 and 2011-12 are -
Sl. No.
|
Parameters
|
2010-11
|
2011-12
|
1
|
No. of reporting factories
|
172177
|
175710
|
2
|
Average Daily Employment
| ||
a
|
All Employees
|
12694853
|
13429956
|
b
|
All Workers
|
9901764
|
10438365
|
c
|
Male Workers
|
5313037
|
5522589
|
d
|
Female Workers
|
1228145
|
1305720
|
e
|
Contract workers
|
3360748
|
3610056
|
Social security benefits to the workers are being provided through the labour legislations like The Employees State Insurance Act, 1948, The Employees Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 (Separate provident fund legislations exist for workers employed in Coal mines and tea plantations in the state of Assam and for seamen), The Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923, The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 and the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act 2008.
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Non-Deduction of PF by Companies in Uttarakhand
Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) does not differentiate between profit or loss making companies covered under Employees’ Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions (EPF & MP) Act, 1952. However, thirty three establishments covered under the Act in the State of Uttarakhand have defaulted in depositing Provident Fund and allied dues amounting to Rs. 57.96 crore.
EPFO takes following actions against the defaulting companies including those situated in Uttrakhand under the provisions of EPF & MP Act, 1952:
i. Proceedings under Section 7A of the Act for assessment of dues are initiated.
ii. Prosecution for non-deposit of dues is launched under Section 14 of the Act.
iii. First Information Reports (FIRs) are filed under Section 406/409 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) for non-deposit of employees’ share of contribution recovered from wages of employees and not deposited to EPFO account.
EPFO takes following actions against the defaulting companies including those situated in Uttrakhand under the provisions of EPF & MP Act, 1952:
i. Proceedings under Section 7A of the Act for assessment of dues are initiated.
ii. Prosecution for non-deposit of dues is launched under Section 14 of the Act.
iii. First Information Reports (FIRs) are filed under Section 406/409 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) for non-deposit of employees’ share of contribution recovered from wages of employees and not deposited to EPFO account.
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Construction of Houses for Beedi Workers in Chhattisgarh
The Revised Integrated Housing Scheme (RIHS), 2007 for beedi workers is being implemented in the country through the 17 Welfare Commissioners of the Labour Welfare Organisation of the Ministry. The housing subsidy of Rs. 40,000/- is given in two equal installments to the workers for construction of houses. The RIHS, 2007 is applicable to the Chhattisgarh State beedi workers also.
An amount of Rs.10.00 lakh as 1st installment for 50 houses to beedi workers was sanctioned in 2007-08 for Village-Chaple, Raigarh District in Chhattisgarh State. The inspection report and utilization certificate of 50 houses are awaited from the State Government for release of 2nd installment.
For rehabilitated Bonded Labour under the Bonded Labour Rehabilitation Scheme, 1978, Central Government has released Rs.221.5 lakh for rehabilitation of 2215 released bonded labour in Chhattisgarh as on 31.03.2015.
An amount of Rs.10.00 lakh as 1st installment for 50 houses to beedi workers was sanctioned in 2007-08 for Village-Chaple, Raigarh District in Chhattisgarh State. The inspection report and utilization certificate of 50 houses are awaited from the State Government for release of 2nd installment.
For rehabilitated Bonded Labour under the Bonded Labour Rehabilitation Scheme, 1978, Central Government has released Rs.221.5 lakh for rehabilitation of 2215 released bonded labour in Chhattisgarh as on 31.03.2015.
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Paid Maternity Leave to Women Employed by Private Organizations and Companies
The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 is a social security legislation enacted to promote the welfare of working women. The Act prohibits the working of pregnant women for a specified period before and after delivery. It also provides for maternity leave and payment of certain monetary benefits to women workers subject to fulfillment of certain conditions during the period when they are out of employment on account of pregnancy. It can be extended to other establishments by the State Governments subject to prior approval of the Central Government.
The following benefits are available under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961:
(i) Twelve weeks of maternity leave out of which six weeks before the expected date of delivery.
(ii) In case of tubectomy operation, two weeks leave with wages immediately following the day of her tubectomy operation.
(iii) One month maternity leave to a woman worker suffering from illness arising out of pregnancy, delivery, premature birth of child (miscarriage, medical termination of pregnancy or tubectomy operation)
(iv) Two nursing breaks of 15 minutes until the child attains the age of 15 months.
(v) Medical bonus of Rs.3500/- if no pre-natal confinement and post-natal care is provided by the employer free of charge.
(vi) Immunity from dismissal during absence of pregnancy.
(vii) No deduction of wages of woman entitled to maternity benefit.
Further, a proposal to increase the existing maternity leave from twelve weeks to twenty four weeks under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, is under consideration of the Government.
The following benefits are available under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961:
(i) Twelve weeks of maternity leave out of which six weeks before the expected date of delivery.
(ii) In case of tubectomy operation, two weeks leave with wages immediately following the day of her tubectomy operation.
(iii) One month maternity leave to a woman worker suffering from illness arising out of pregnancy, delivery, premature birth of child (miscarriage, medical termination of pregnancy or tubectomy operation)
(iv) Two nursing breaks of 15 minutes until the child attains the age of 15 months.
(v) Medical bonus of Rs.3500/- if no pre-natal confinement and post-natal care is provided by the employer free of charge.
(vi) Immunity from dismissal during absence of pregnancy.
(vii) No deduction of wages of woman entitled to maternity benefit.
Further, a proposal to increase the existing maternity leave from twelve weeks to twenty four weeks under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, is under consideration of the Government.
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Nidhi Aapke Nikat Programme of EPFO
The Nidhi Aapke Nikat, a public outreach programme was launched by Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) on 10thJuly 2015. The details and salient features of the programme are:-
• It is a public outreach programme.
• It is proposed to be held on 10th of the month and on the next working day if the 10th happens to be a holiday.
• It is held in all the 122 field offices of EPFO across the country and is to be presided over by the Officer-in-charge.
• Various new initiatives in the interest of employees/employers taken by EPFO are explained during the programme.
• It is an endeavour by EPFO to bring together all its different stakeholders on a common platform.
• It encourages employees and employers to give their suggestions and feedback regarding the different issues affecting EPFO besides redressing grievances.
EPFO has been consistently improving its service delivery using a number of Information Technology (IT) initiatives. As a result, the number of grievances received annually has considerably come down. While 2,74,976 grievances were received in 2011-12, this has reduced by 32.91 per cent to 1,84,480 in 2014-15.
‘Nidhi Aapke Nikat’ not only adopts participatory and broad based approach in dealing with its stakeholders, but also disseminates information regarding the new initiatives taken in the interest of stakeholders. Such measures in due course bring about greater public awareness of the rights and responsibilities of all the stakeholders and will in turn, check the number of grievances in future.
The Zone Wise details of customer grievances received by EPFO during 2014-15
Name of Zone
|
Opening Balance
|
Receipts
|
Disposal
|
Pending as on
31.03.2015
| |
Delhi & Uttarakhand
|
116
|
23028
|
23128
|
16
| |
Haryana & Rajasthan
|
52
|
13500
|
13543
|
9
| |
Punjab & Himachal Pradesh
|
57
|
4331
|
4372
|
16
| |
Bihar & Uttar Pradesh
|
40
|
7868
|
7898
|
10
| |
Andhra Pradesh & Odisha
|
425
|
16023
|
16296
|
152
| |
Karnataka & Goa
|
992
|
23500
|
24312
|
180
| |
Tamil Nadu & Kerala
|
466
|
21747
|
22152
|
61
| |
West Bengal & North- East Region
|
85
|
10732
|
10782
|
34
| |
Maharashtra & Chhattisgarh
|
1848
|
41529
|
42360
|
1017
| |
Gujarat & Madhya Pradesh
|
60
|
7422
|
7474
|
8
| |
Head Office/Others
|
446
|
14800
|
10004
|
656
| |
TOTAL
|
4587
|
184480
|
182321
|
2159
|
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