Rs 15.32-crore EPF advance claims settled in 8 dists

Nitish Sharma

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Tribune News Service

Ambala, May 25

Due to the Covid pandemic, a large number of employees in the private sector and outsourced workers in government departments are getting their EPF withdrawn to meet their day-to-day expenses. However, it is yet not known how many of them have lost their jobs or are yet to receive their salaries for April as the process of filing challans by companies is still on.

“Over 10,000 establishments in the organised sector are registered in eight districts and there are nearly 10 lakh accounts, active and inoperative combined. The Centre has announced a slew of measures pertaining to the EPFO to provide succour to workers. One such initiative is a new non-refundable advance for subscribers under the name of Covid advance, which provides immediate financial assistance to the tune of three months’ wages or 75 per cent of balance in EPF account, whichever is less. Till May 22, 7,605 claims amounting to Rs 15.32 crore have been settled in the Karnal region,” said Nitin Singh, Regional Commissioner, EPFO, Ambala.

Meanwhile, 15,633 workers of 1,197 establishments had availed benefit amounting to over Rs 2.68 crore for March under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), in which 24 per cent EFP contribution comprising 12 per cent employer share and 12 per cent employee share was given as financial assistance by the government to eligible establishments.

“For the PMGKY, the establishment should have up to 100 employees, with 90 per cent or more having wages less than Rs 15,000. To give relief to employers, the government has extended challan filling date for March from April 15 to May 15. A large number of employers are yet to file their challans for April as the government has decided not to impose any penalty on employers on delay of EPF contribution due to the financial crunch,” Singh said.

“Over 25 lakh workers in more than 25,000 establishments in the organised sector are likely to benefit from another initiative, which has been launched to increase the take-home salary of workers. The EPF contribution has been reduced from 12 per cent to 10 per cent, benefiting both employees and the employer. The reduction has been made from May to July,” he said.