(a) whether a Committee has been set up to examine the feasibility of the housing scheme for the Employees Provident Fund subscribers;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with its terms of reference;
(c) whether trade union leaders are proposed to be consulted before implementation of the scheme; and
(d) if so, the details thereabout and the time by which the scheme is likely to be implemented?
MINISTER OF LABOUR (SHRI SAHIB SINGH VERMA)
(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS(A) TO (D) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 20 FOR 18.11.2002 REGARDIGN HOUSING SCHEME FOR EPF SUBSCRIBERS.
(a) to (d): The CBT (EPF), which is a tri-partite body, at it 158th meeting held on 22.10.2002 has, in principle, approved launching of a housing scheme for EPF subscribers. A Committee has been constituted consisting of representatives of employers, employees and senior officials of Employees Provident Fund Organisation under the Chairmanship of Shri S. Gopalan Former Union Labour Secretary. The Committee is studying the feasibility aspects of the implementation of the Scheme. Since it is not an obligatory activity of the EPFO, inter-ministerial consultation and consultation with the social partners is required. In such circumstances, it is not possible to indicate the precise time-frame for implementation of the scheme though efforts are being made to launch the scheme at the earliest.