STATE TIMES NEWS
SHOPIAN: Employees Provident Fund Organization, J&K in collaboration with District Administration, Shopian on Saturday conducted an awareness programme on registration process and benefits of social security schemes and insurance schemes of EPFO for the welfare of contract, outsourced and other part time employees engaged by government departments and private organizations. The programme was presided by Provident Fund Commissioner, Rizwan Uddin. The programme was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Shopian, Manzoor Hussain, who gave a brief about the conduct of the Awareness Programme, besides welcoming P F Commissioner.
ACD, CEO, CMO, CHO, CAO, DIO, officers of Labour, Funds Organization, MC, Social Forestry besides account officers of different departments like Forest, Dubjan and Peer ki Ghali Development Authority, R&B, KPDCL, Jal Shakti and other officials participated in the awareness programme. PF Commissioner and SSSA, EPFO, Regional Office, Jammu, Rajasekhar, addressed the Officers on applicability of EPF & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. Commissioner elaborated the provisions of Employees’ Pension Scheme 1995 and Employees Deposit Linked Insurance scheme,1976 especially responsibility of departments / Organizations in registering process of their employees. He also explained to the audience about the process of registration of Principal Employers on the online portal of the EPFO.
Commissioner advised all the Departments to extend benefits of aforesaid Schemes to all contract and outsourced employees engaged under various Govt departments directly or indirectly. He said that contractors executing works under different departments like RDD, PMGSY, R&B, Jal Sakhti, KPDCL, etc should be registered under EPF & MP Act, 1952 so that their social security is ensured and they are benefited financially. He asked the CEO and CMO to register staff of educational and medical institutions, whether government or private. As per the act, he said, it is the duty and responsibility of Principal Employer to register their employees and EPFO also provides a link in EPFO website about registration of Principal Employer to register the contractors engaged by the said departments. Commissioner on the occasion asked departments to conduct outreach Programme about the registration process of EPFO schemes so that more and more people are covered under the schemes.
As per the Act, if any employee becomes an EPF member, member automatically get membership of EPF pension scheme,1995 and EDLI scheme,1976. If any member dies while in service the nominee of widow or widower will get pension life long along with 2 children upto the age of 25 irrespective of their martial status and the nominee will get maximum benefit of Rs. 7. 5 Lakhs under Edli scheme. There are other pensions provided under the scheme as per eligibility of membership like superannuation, early pension, disability pension, orphan pension, widow pension and nominee pension.
Commissioner, Rizwan Uddin appreciated the collaboration of Deputy Commissioner Shopian, Sachin Kumar and expressed the need for further follow up by District Administration and associate Offices to extend Social Security in the district.