EPFO recovers Rs 37.85 cr from defaulter establishments

The Ludhiana regional office of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has recovered a sum of Rs 37.85 crore from defaulter establishments during the first two quarters of the current financial year 2024-25.

It was almost 100 per cent of the total demand and 26 per cent arrears of dues assessed before April 1, 2024, which were supposed to be paid till March 31, 2025.

Committed to providing prompt service

Our motto is to provide trouble-free and prompt service to our subscribers as well as pensioners and that too preferably at their doorsteps, wherever possible. The EPFO is handling crores of provident fund and pension accounts across the country and is providing seamless and swift service to its subscribers. — Saurabh Swami, RPFC-I

Besides, the Union Labour and Employment Ministry’s social security provider to the employees’ working in the public, private establishments and cooperative societies in the shape of provident fund, pension and insurance schemes also settled as many as 1.72 lakh claims and resolved all 1,928 grievances received during the current fiscal so far.

Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-1 (RPFC-1) Saurabh Swami told The Tribune that the Ludhiana regional office of the EPFO maintains almost 22 lakh accounts of employees working at over 15,000 establishments across the state’s biggest and largest district, in terms of area and population, with a special focus and priority to serve its subscribers in the best possible manner.

He said the recovery wing of the Ludhiana centre had recovered a sum of Rs 3,639.83 lakh from defaulter establishments during the first six months of the current fiscal in current demand as per the dues assessed during 2024-25, which was up to 99.98 per cent of the total demand of 3,647 lakh assessed before April 1, 2024.

Besides the recovery of Rs 3,639.83 lakh made under Section 7A of the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, the arrears of Rs 145.61 lakh was also recovered under Sections 8B to 8G of the same Act by resorting to bank attachments and other mode of official mechanism. The arrear recovery remained 25.72 per cent of the total demand of Rs 639.9 lakh as on April 1, 2024.

“Under Section 7A of the EPF & MP Act, 1952, inquiries for determination of dues have been completed and disposed of against certain defaulter establishments during this fiscal,” he said.

Swami said the recovery of current demand during first two quarters of this fiscal remained 90 per cent more than Rs 1,918.66 lakh recovered during the corresponding period last fiscal while the recovery of arrears demand went up by over 67 per cent as compared to Rs 87.16 lakh recovered under this head during the first six months of the past financial year.

The EPFO regional office had also settled as many as 1,71,554 of the total 1,78,631 claims, all types, received during the current fiscal so far, which were also over 11 per cent more than 1,54,248 of the total received 1,58,316 claims settled during the corresponding period last fiscal.

“During the current financial year, we had received 1,928 grievances, all of which had been redressed within the minimum possible time, with no plaint left pending with the office as of date,” he divulged while seeking the cooperation of establishments covered under the EPF and the MP Act, 1952, in the district for ensuring uninterrupted, hassle-free and timely service to subscribers and PF members.

The count of grievances this fiscal also went down by almost 17 per cent from 2,319 grievances received during the corresponding period last financial year.