In Ludhiana, EPFO recovers Rs 30.22 crore from 49 firms that are in default
During the fiscal year 2023–2024, the Ludhiana Regional Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) was able to recover a total of Rs 30.22 crore from 49 noncompliant enterprises.
Nearly 94% of the entire demand and arrears of dues assessed before April 1, 2023, which were scheduled to be paid until March 31, 2024, were represented by this amount.
In addition, during the previous fiscal year, the Union Labour and Employment Ministry’s social security program, which offers provident funds, pensions, and insurance plans to workers in public, private, and cooperative societies, resolved up to 2.95 lakh claims totaling Rs 898 crore.
Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-1 (RPFC-1) Saurabh Swami told The Tribune here on Monday that the EPFO’s Ludhiana regional office looks after nearly 21.2 lakh accounts of workers at 14,991 establishments in the largest and most populous district in the state. The office places a high priority on providing the best customer service possible to its subscribers.
He said that in the most recent fiscal year 2023–2024, the EPFO regional office has resolved up to 2,94,665 claims (of all kinds) for a total of Rs 89,784.6 crore.
Additionally, according to the dues assessed during 2023–24, the Ludhiana center’s recovery wing recovered Rs 3,022.02 lakh from 49 defaulter establishments during the previous fiscal year. This amounted to up to 94% of the total demand and arrear dues assessed prior to April 1, 2023.
The arrear demand of Rs 199.4 lakh was recovered under Sections 8B to 8G of the Act by using bank attachments and other official mechanisms, while the recovery of Rs 2,822.62 lakh was made under Sections 7A, 14B, and 7Q of the Employees’ Provide Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
“Inquiries for determination of dues have been completed and disposed of against 49 defaulter establishments during 2023-24 under Section 7A of the EPF & MP Act, 1952,” he said.
According to Swami, up to 25,059 life certificates have been issued for the 31,227 pensioners registered with the EPFO’s Ludhiana regional office as of March 31. He said, “On the day of retirement, our office had been consistently holding the PRAYAS program and distributing pension payment orders (PPOs) among our retired subscribers.”
According to the RPFC-1, the Ludhiana EPFO has already set aside the 27th of every month as “Nidhi Aapke Nikat” (EPFO near you), an outreach program designed to hear members’ complaints about the provident fund and provide priority resolution.
In order to ensure that subscribers and PF members receive continuous, hassle-free, and timely service, he disclosed that during the fiscal year 2023–24, a total of 3,362 grievances had been received. All of these had been resolved in the shortest amount of time, and no plaint remained pending with the office. He was requesting cooperation from establishments covered under the EPF and the MP Act, 1952, in the district.
Swami continued by saying that 11 industrial accident incidents that had been reported in the previous fiscal year were being investigated in order to pay beneficiaries insurance claims, provident fund benefits, and widow/widower pensions. He said, “The cases pertaining to two firms had already been settled, and the beneficiaries had received their insurance benefits.”
Dedicated to provide timely assistance: RPFC-1
Our first goal is to provide our subscribers and seniors trouble-free, timely service—ideally right at their home, wherever feasible. The company manages pension and provident fund accounts worth many crores of rupees nationwide, offering its customers quick and easy service. – Regional PF Commissioner-I Saurabh Swami
