(a) whether Employees Provident Fund (EPF) accounts are not updated;
(b) if so, the reasons therefor and the steps taken for updation of these
accounts;
(c) the number of member`s accounts and establishments covered under
the EPF Act; and
(d) the number of accounts with huge negative balances and erroneous
credit balances alongwith the details of action proposed to be taken
for fixing responsibility in this regard?
MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT(SHRI MALLIKARJUN KHARGE)
(a) & (b): The Employees’ Provident Fund accounts are updated
on the basis of the following:
(i) Deposit of contribution by employers; and
(ii) On receipt of annual statutory returns in the prescribed formats.
Updation of accounts is a continuous process. But at times delay/pendency
in updation of accounts occur because of the following reasons:
1. Non-deposit of contribution by the employers in time;
2. Short-remittance of contribution by the employers; and
3. Delay as well as non-submission of statutory returns in prescribed formats.
To overcome the problems standing in the way of updation of accounts,
special drives are carried out periodically for collection of contribution
which are defaulted by the employers and also for collection of statutory
returns. Appropriate penal actions are regularly taken against defaulting
employers in accordance with the provisions of the Employees’ Provident
Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 to ensure deposit of
contribution/arrear contributions and submission of statutory returns.
(c): As per Annual Report of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation,
6,13,152 establishments and 539.33 Lakh members are covered under the Employees’
Provident Fund Scheme, 1952 as on 31.03.2010.
(d): Negative Balances and erroneous credit balances are available
establishment-wise/member-wise in the field offices and constantly keep
changing on updation of members’ accounts. These are due to various reasons
like wrong debit, short credit by the establishment, wrong payment, over payment etc.
Since most of the members’ accounts have been updated, most of the cases
are likely to be removed by reconciliation. In case of over payment,recovery is made from:
(i) Establishment
(ii) Beneficiary
(iii) Officer/staff responsible as the case may be.