Jammu, May 27: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) held an awareness and outreach programme, Nidhi Apke Nikat (NAN) 2.0, at Army Public School Akhnoor on Monday. The event was led by Rizwan Uddin, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I, with the participation of Devinder Singh, Enforcement Officer.
The programme aimed to educate employers, employees, and representatives on the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, which has been in effect in the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh since November 1, 2019. The focus was on the importance of planning for retirement savings through the schemes under this act.
Participants included the Commanding Officer, SO to Chairman, Principal and staff of APS Rakhmuthi, staff from neighboring schools, employees of JamkashVehicleades, local contractors, and others.
Commissioner Rizwan Uddin emphasized the benefits of enrolling in the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), highlighting the three social security schemes run by EPFO: the Employees Provident Fund scheme (EPF), the Employees Pension Scheme (EPS), and the Employees Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme (EDLI).
The event facilitated discussions on compliance, the benefits of EPF, and the ease of living and doing business initiatives by the government. Uddin detailed the modalities of employee and employer contributions and the benefits of the schemes, such as filing ECR returns, online claims, bank KYC updates, and support for DSC/E-sign registration.
Participants’ queries were addressed during a live demonstration by Uddin. The programme was well-attended, with active participation from teachers and other guests who discussed the EPF scheme’s benefits for in-service and post-retirement life.
The session also highlighted the importance of enrolling all eligible employees, including those employed through contractors. Uddin cited recent accidents in Jammu & Kashmir where unregistered employees’ families faced financial hardships, underscoring the necessity of these social security schemes. Employers acknowledged the importance of the session and committed to increasing membership.
The programme was also conducted at the EPFO Office in Ladakh by Sandeep Kumar, SS, with representatives of establishments and employees in attendance. The event underscored the EPFO’s commitment to enhancing social security for employees in the region.
