Question : INOPERATIVE EPF ACCOUNT

(a) the State-wise details of the funds lying in the Employees Provident Fund (EPF);

(b) whether a large number of accounts of the employees/labourers remain inoperative for several years;

(c) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor alongwith the steps taken by the Government to disburse this amount to the rightful claimants;

(d) whether the computerization of EPF accounts has been delayed since long; and

(e) if so, the reasons therefor and the steps being taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH)

(a): State-wise details of the funds lying in the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) are given at Annex.

(b) & (c): As per Annual Account (unaudited) of the Organisation for the year 2011-12, Rs.22,636.57 Crore is lying in Inoperative Accounts.

Returns are being collected from establishments wherein contributions are received so as to update members’ accounts to make them operative.

Following steps have been taken to get the claims from the PF members so as to settle the claims of such inoperative accounts:

(i) Publicity through print media and electronic media is made to educate the members to file their claims for settlement.

(ii) The employers and employees unions have also been requested to advise the members to file their claims for settlement. In order to ensure the payment to the actual claimant, following precautions are taken:

(i) The attestation of claim forms by the authorized signatory is made mandatory where the establishment is in operation.

(ii) To identify the member in those cases where employer is not available, the attestation by the Bank authorities is insisted alongwith at least one of the documents as required under KYC (Know Your Customer) of the bank.

(d) & (e): The current phase of computerization Project of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) was taken up in 2008 in collaboration with the National Informatics Center (NIC) and has been implemented in all the offices. The basic services like claim settlement and annual accounts preparation is implemented in computer system.