Question : REGIONAL OFFICES FOR EPFO

(a)whether the Employees` Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is considering to open more regional offices for settlement of claims and to provide facilities to its members and if so, the details thereof;

(b)whether EPFO is also considering to upgrade some of the EPFO offices into regional offices keeping in view the number of accounts such offices are maintaining and if so, the details thereof;

(c)whether in the absence of regional offices in many places people have to visit regional offices located at far away places; and

(d)if so, the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

(a) & (b): At present, no such proposal to open Regional Office or to upgrade any Office to Regional Office is under consideration of the Executive Committee, Central Board of Trustees- the Competent Body.

(c) & (d): As on date, in addition to 40 Regional Offices, the EPFO has 82 Sub Regional Offices and 121 District Offices/Service Centres all over India to provide various services to its Members.