 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Sept 27: The Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) Jammu organized an extensive awareness and outreach program under the "Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0" initiative at Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (Jammu Depot) Conference Hall, Channi Rama, Jammu. The session was led by Shri Rizwan Uddin, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I, and Shri Umesh Hiralal Borkar, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-II, with the aim to address concerns and educate employers and employees about various social security schemes and services offered by EPFO.
The event saw participation from prominent business representatives, including Shri L.M. Mohanty (DGM, IOCL), Shri Ashish Dingle (Depot Manager, BPCL), and other officials from HPCL, Kirpal Singh & Sons, Puri & Puri, Batra Bros., and Chinar Motors, Srinagar. Parallelly, a similar program was conducted at the Rural Self-Employment Training Institute, SBI, Ladakh, led by Shri Pritesh Parihar, SSSA (Ladakh).
During the event, Shri Rizwan Uddin highlighted several key initiatives under the "Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0" program, including E-Nomination, UAN Activation, KYC Updation, Bank and Aadhaar Seeding, Online ECR Filing, and the benefits of the Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) Scheme, 1976, and the Employees' Pension Scheme, 1995. A practical hand-holding session was conducted for employers, focusing on Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) registration and filing ECR challans.
Shri Umesh Hiralal Borkar also elaborated on the New Employment Incentive Scheme, which aims to provide financial benefits to employers for hiring new workers, thus contributing to employment growth in the region.
Several grievances and issues raised by employers were addressed, including questions about Provident Fund (PF) obligations for short-term employees. Rizwan Uddin clarified that the Employees' Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions (EPF & MP) Act, 1952, applies from day one of employment, and workers retain the same UAN regardless of job changes.
The program also addressed the benefits of the EPFO system in allowing employees to directly apply for advances without employer intervention, reducing the administrative burden on employers. Shri Ramesh Lal, representative from Batra Bros., lauded the schemes and was awarded "Best Participant" for actively engaging with the stakeholders. The session concluded with discussions on the enhanced features of the Employees' Pension Scheme, 1995, and the increased coverage of the EDLI Scheme, 1976, providing insurance up to ?7 lakhs. The New Employment Incentive Scheme was also highlighted, benefiting employees across Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh since November 2019.
The outreach program served as a vital platform for employers and employees to learn about social security schemes and EPFO's role in safeguarding their welfare. Similar sessions will continue in the Union Territories to ensure widespread awareness and benefits. |
