Srinagar, May 27: The ‘Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0’ programme, a monthly District Outreach initiative of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), was organised by the Regional Office (RO) Kashmir at Rainbow International Educational Institute, Deegam, Shopian on Monday. The initiative, which began in January 2023, aims to enhance engagement and resolve grievances of employers and employees at the district level.
Guided by Vinay Kumar, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-II/OIC, Regional Office Kashmir, the programme was led by Enforcement Officer Latif Ahmad Zargar, along with SSA officers Abdul Rashid Mir, Ahmar Rashid Shah, and Mehraj ur Rehman. The session saw active participation from various employers and employees from different establishments in the Shopian district.
The key objective of ‘Nidhi Aapke Nikat’ is to strengthen the relationship between the EPFO and its stakeholders by addressing grievances and providing solutions on the spot, the organisation said in a press release issued here.
During the session, participants were educated on the applicability of the EPF and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, and the provisions of the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995, and Linked Insurance Scheme, 1976. They were also informed about e-nominations, KYC processes, and new EPFO initiatives like the e-nomination, Principal Employer portal, and EPFO services available on the UMANG app.
The participants learned about the Employees’ Pension Scheme 1995, which became applicable in Jammu & Kashmir on 01 November 2019, offering pension benefits for the first time in the region.
The importance of enrolling employees under the Provident Fund and Pension Fund was emphasised, which highlighted the need for timely contributions to safeguard families against unforeseen incidents, the EPFO said. The session also covered the benefits of the Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) scheme, which provides an assured benefit ranging from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh to the nominee of a deceased employee who has rendered over one year of continuous service.
This month’s programme focused on “Pensioners Services – 2,” which included discussions on Dependent Parent Pension, steps to take in case of a pensioner’s death, eligibility for pension benefits, Digital Life Certificates (DLC), Prayaas-PPO on the day of retirement, and the Pension & EDLI Calculator. A special Pension/Grievance Help Desk was set up at the camp to address pensioners’ problems and settle grievances on the spot.
The interactive session covered various topics, including KYC updation, online claim filing, pension and insurance provisions, the e-nomination facility and its benefits, ECR filing, compliance, and other PF-related matters. Participants expressed their gratitude to the EPFO authorities for organizing such awareness programs and hoped for their continuation in the future to ensure that more employees benefit from the social security schemes provided by EPFO India.
