GUWAHATI, July 29 - The EPFO Regional Office, Guwahati, has disbursed non-refundable Covid-19 advance to the tune of Rs 12.44 crore to 5,697 EPF members to enable them to deal with pandemic-induced financial exigencies during the period from March to June, 2020, stated a press release issued by P Hangsing, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I, Guwahati.
In another first of its kind, a sum of Rs 6.35 crore representing 24 per cent of wages towards EPF contributions have been released by the Government of India to eligible EPF registered employers as subsidy under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY). The subsidy released will benefit 15,937 EPF members. This benefit will be available for six months of the current financial year from March to August, 2020, the release said.
Efforts are on to create more awareness among the employers to avail the subsidy for the benefit of at least 85,000 employees as per the department�s own estimates.
Claims of EPF members regarding the provident fund, pension and deposit-linked insurance, besides various other advance applications, continue to be received and settled within just 20 days. A total of 18,775 claims and advances were settled during the period from April 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020, with a resultant disbursal of Rs 79,27,42,608 to the EPF members, the release added.
The release called upon employers of all EPF-registered establishments to ensure immediate seeding of Aadhaar, PAN and bank details with KYC of their employees. Only online claims shall be entertained w.e.f August 2020, and physical claims, if submitted, shall summarily be rejected, except death cases.
An Aadhaar Enrolment Centre is also operational on the EPFO office premises for the benefit of EPF members. This facility must be availed by the employers to ensure expeditious Aadhaar registration and seeding with KYC in compliance with statutory requirement. This will also enable employees of PMGKY-eligible establishments to avail the subsidy till August 2020, the release said.
