Udhampur/Leh, Aug 27: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), Jammu, held an Awareness and Outreach program under its “Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0” initiative at Hotel Trinetar, Patnitop, Udhampur, and the Director, National Institute of Sowa Rigpa in Leh, Ladakh.
The events, led by Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I, Rizwan Uddin, focused on addressing the concerns of both employers and employees. Participants were educated about several initiatives such as E-Nomination, UAN Activation, KYC Updation, Bank and Aadhar Seeding, and Online ECR Filing. The salient features of the Employees Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) Scheme of 1976 and the Employees’ Pension Scheme of 1995 were also discussed.
During the Patnitop session, employers were provided with a handholding session to help with the registration of DSC/E-Sign and the filing of ECR challans. Employees initially raised concerns regarding their unwillingness to enroll in EPFO schemes due to short-term employment durations. However, after Rizwan Uddin clarified the benefits of the schemes, including enhanced social security, the miscommunication was resolved and attendees expressed a willingness to participate.
The workshop lasted for over an hour, during which various stakeholders raised issues pertaining to the EPFO office. Rizwan Uddin gave on-the-spot directions to resolve these concerns. Employers were also instructed on accessing the Principal Employer Portal for compliance checks, while several grievances were addressed on the spot, including guidance on PF withdrawal procedures.
A similar program was conducted at the Director, National Institute of Sowa Rigpa, in Leh by Sandeep Kumar, SS (Ladakh), where representatives from various establishments and employees participated. Both programs emphasized the importance of social security benefits for employees in Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh, including the enhanced EDLI benefits of up to seven lakh rupees, which have been available since November 2019.
These outreach efforts are part of EPFO’s commitment to ensuring all stakeholders are informed about the latest schemes and benefits provided by the organization.
