Question : EPF Investment in Stock Market

(a)whether most of the funds deposited by the EPF subscribers are being invested in Stock markets for buying Blue chip company shares;
(b)if so, the details thereof and the list of such companies where majority of EPF funds have been invested;
(c)whether the Government has funded any loans from EPF to various Government projects;
(d)if so, the details thereof and the stand of the Government in this regard; and
(e)whether the Government plans to increase the EPF benefits provided to EPF subscribers in the country and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

(a) & (b): Investments by Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) are made as per the Pattern of Investment notified by the Government. Presently, as per direction of Central Board of Trustees’ (CBT), Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), 15 per cent of EPFO corpus is being invested in Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). EPFO does not invest in individual company shares. The total amount invested by EPFO in ETF [Nifty 50, Sensex, Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE) and Bharat 22 Indices] as on January, 2018 is Rs. 39,816.25 crores.
(c): No, Madam.
(d): Does not arise in view of the reply to part (c) of the Question above.
(e): No, Madam. There is no such proposal under consideration of the Government.
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