Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 statutorily applies to employees getting wages upto Rs. 6500/- in respect of scheduled establishments employing 20 or more workers. State-wise details are given at Annexure.
The mechanism to regulate and monitor the implementation of Labour Laws is incorporated in respective Labour Laws.
Occasional instances of such nature have been noticed in the Employees Provident Fund offices.
All such observed cases are pursued vigorously and several measures have been taken to prevent and discourage such instances as per details given hereunder:-
(i) The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation website as on date provides all relevant information to its various stakeholders i.e. employees, employers, subscribers as well as the public at large.
(ii) All information relating to Employees’ Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 & Scheme provisions including various application forms have been provided in a downloadable format.
(iii) Claim settlement status has also been provided on the website offline which is updated every day.
(iv) Facilities such as National Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT), Short Messaging Service (SMS) (informing members on the settlement of their claims), facility to view account balances (in selective offices), claim status, filing of e-Challans in a few offices have also been made operational.
(v) Work related to processing, calculation & disbursement of payment is mostly computerized and carried out through the software provided by National Informatics Centre of Government of India in an environment where public interface is minimal.
(vi) The computerization has resulted in increased settlement thereby reducing pendency and backlog thus leading to lesser complaints and grievances. It has also lead to a more effective monitoring of pendency and settlements.
(vii) Besides complaint based investigations are carried out, checks are also undertaken during Surprise Inspections as well as Preventive Vigilance Inspections and for any irregularity noticed, actions are initiated against the officials involved.
(viii) To streamline and clearly define activities, circulars on Combating Corruption in Compliance matters have also been issued by the Vigilance Wing.
The Union Labour & Employment Minister Shri Mallikarjun Kharge gave this information in reply to a written question in Rajya Sabha today.
-PIB
