Lok Sabha Question No. 4198 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-27
Subject: Employees Contribution in EPF Fund Scheme
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Vinayak Bhaurao Raut

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4198

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.03.2023

## EMPLOYEES CONTRIBUTION IN EPF FUND SCHEME

†4198. SHRI SANJAY JADHAV: SHRI VINAYAK RAUT:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)the salient features of the Employees' Provident Fund Scheme;
- (b)the  estimated  number  of  employees  currently  covered  under  the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), State/UT-wise;
- (c)the State-wise total number of employees contributing regularly to the EPF Fund and particularly the details of the Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Parbhani Parliamentary Constituencies of Maharashtra;
- (d)whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  to  relax  the  eligibility criteria to pass on the benefits to the beneficiaries;
- (e)if so, the details thereof and the time by which the said proposal is likely to be implemented; and
- (f)whether a large number of EPF accounts of staff/employees are lying inoperative for the last several years, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a): The Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) Scheme, 1952 is one of  the  three  schemes  framed  under  the  Employees'  Provident  Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions (EPF & MP) Act, 1952. The EPF Scheme, 1952 aims at providing social security  to  employees  employed  in  an EPF covered establishment.

Contd..2/-

Under the EPF, Scheme, 1952, an employee of any covered establishment drawing monthly wages up to Rs. 15,000 is statutorily required  to  join  the  fund  and  to  contribute  12%  of  wages,  which includes basic wages, dearness allowance and retaining allowance, if any. The employer is also required to contribute 12% of the wages.

The Employees' Provident Fund is managed by a Board of Trustees  consisting  of  representatives  from  Central  Government, employers, employees and State Governments.

A  member  of  the  EPF  Scheme,  1952  is  entitled  to  the benefit  of  withdrawal  and  advance  for  various  purposes  (viz.  for purchase/construction of dwelling house, illness, education, marriage, Covid-19, etc.) from the EPF as per the provisions contained in the said scheme. A member is also entitled for credit of interest on his/her PF accumulations each year.

- (b): The State/UT-wise details of number of EPF members as on 22.03.2023 are at Annexure-I.
- (c): The State/UT-wise details (including details of the Ratnagiri,  Sindhudurg  and  Parbhani  district  of  Maharashtra)  of  the total number of members for which contribution has been received in respect of current Financial Year are at Annexure-II.
- (d) & (e): The wage ceiling for coverage under the EPF Scheme, 1952 is revised from time to time. Presently, it is Rs.15000/- per month since 01.09.2014.
- (f): As  per  paragraph  72(6)  of  the  EPF  Scheme  1952,  certain accounts are classified as Inoperative Accounts. All such Inoperative Accounts,  however,  have  definite  claimants.     As  on  31.03.2022,  the total amount in Inoperative Accounts is Rs. 4962.70 crore.

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ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4198 FOR REPLY ON 27.03.2023 BY HON'BLE MPS SHRI SANJAY JADHAV AND SHRI VINAYAK RAUT REGARDING 'EMPLOYEES CONTRIBUTION IN EPF FUND SCHEME'.

| State/UT-wise details of number of EPF members as on 22.03.2023   | State/UT-wise details of number of EPF members as on 22.03.2023   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
| State/UT                                                          | Number of Member-Accounts of EPF Scheme as on 22.03.2023          |
| ANDAMANANDNICOBAR ISLANDS                                         | 59,322                                                            |
| ANDHRA PRADESH                                                    | 59,28,638                                                         |
| ARUNACHAL PRADESH                                                 | 43,165                                                            |
| ASSAM                                                             | 11,90,065                                                         |
| BIHAR                                                             | 26,06,760                                                         |
| CHANDIGARH                                                        | 32,18,568                                                         |
| CHHATTISGARH                                                      | 25,04,722                                                         |
| DELHI                                                             | 2,18,41,805                                                       |
| GOA                                                               | 17,77,293                                                         |
| GUJARAT                                                           | 2,27,08,149                                                       |
| HARYANA                                                           | 2,14,49,616                                                       |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH                                                  | 21,11,062                                                         |
| JAMMU AND KASHMIR                                                 | 5,80,966                                                          |
| JHARKHAND                                                         | 27,50,897                                                         |
| KARNATAKA                                                         | 3,22,29,597                                                       |
| KERALA                                                            | 41,04,008                                                         |
| LADAKH                                                            | 5,038                                                             |
| MADHYAPRADESH                                                     | 66,26,391                                                         |
| MAHARASHTRA                                                       | 5,58,91,617                                                       |
| MANIPUR                                                           | 43,394                                                            |
| MEGHALAYA                                                         | 1,11,721                                                          |
| MIZORAM                                                           | 10,116                                                            |
| NAGALAND                                                          | 24,267                                                            |
| ODISHA                                                            | 41,42,366                                                         |
| PUNJAB                                                            | 48,23,162                                                         |
| RAJASTHAN                                                         | 78,13,936                                                         |
| SIKKIM                                                            | 1,11,582                                                          |
| TAMIL NADU                                                        | 3,37,91,317                                                       |
| TELANGANA                                                         | 1,56,29,321                                                       |
| TRIPURA                                                           | 1,18,711                                                          |
| UTTAR PRADESH                                                     | 1,37,11,930                                                       |
| UTTARAKHAND                                                       | 43,02,568                                                         |
| WEST BENGAL                                                       |                                                                   |
| Total                                                             | 1,09,55,800 28,32,17,870                                          |

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4198 FOR REPLY ON 27.03.2023 BY HON'BLE MPS SHRI SANJAY JADHAV AND  SHRI  VINAYAK  RAUT  REGARDING  'EMPLOYEES  CONTRIBUTION  IN  EPF  FUND SCHEME'.

State/UT-wise  details  (including  details  of  the  Ratnagiri,  Sindhudurg  and  Parbhani  districts  of Maharashtra) of the total number of members for which contribution has been received in respect of any wage month of current Financial Year i.e. wage months from March, 2022 to February, 2023 and have not exited

| of any wage month of current Financial Year i.e. wage months from March, 2022 to February, 2023   | of any wage month of current Financial Year i.e. wage months from March, 2022 to February, 2023   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| State/UT                                                                                          | Number of members                                                                                 |
| ANDAMANANDNICOBAR ISLANDS                                                                         | 20,456                                                                                            |
| ANDHRA PRADESH                                                                                    | 14,81,255                                                                                         |
| ARUNACHAL PRADESH                                                                                 | 11,135                                                                                            |
| ASSAM                                                                                             | 3,50,456                                                                                          |
| BIHAR                                                                                             | 11,40,146                                                                                         |
| CHANDIGARH                                                                                        | 5,85,067                                                                                          |
| CHHATTISGARH                                                                                      | 6,24,940                                                                                          |
| DELHI                                                                                             | 37,88,071                                                                                         |
| GOA                                                                                               | 2,50,291                                                                                          |
| GUJARAT                                                                                           | 43,57,096                                                                                         |
| HARYANA                                                                                           | 34,45,706                                                                                         |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH                                                                                  | 4,25,602                                                                                          |
| JAMMU AND KASHMIR                                                                                 | 1,95,440                                                                                          |
| JHARKHAND                                                                                         | 6,20,249                                                                                          |
| KARNATAKA                                                                                         | 68,51,984                                                                                         |
| KERALA                                                                                            | 12,33,577                                                                                         |
| LADAKH                                                                                            | 2,135                                                                                             |
| MADHYAPRADESH                                                                                     | 14,37,252                                                                                         |
|                                                                                                   | 1,18,04,749                                                                                       |
| MAHARASHTRA MANIPUR                                                                               | RATNAGIRI (34,948), SINDHUDURG (6,457) & PARBHANI (9,492) 17,184                                  |
| MEGHALAYA                                                                                         | 37,338                                                                                            |
| MIZORAM                                                                                           | 4,275                                                                                             |
| NAGALAND                                                                                          | 11,424                                                                                            |
| ODISHA                                                                                            | 10,32,765                                                                                         |
| PUNJAB                                                                                            | 8,19,345                                                                                          |
| RAJASTHAN                                                                                         | 16,54,996                                                                                         |
| SIKKIM                                                                                            | 30,608                                                                                            |
| TAMIL NADU                                                                                        | 65,30,722                                                                                         |
| TELANGANA                                                                                         | 37,80,706                                                                                         |
| TRIPURA                                                                                           | 34,983                                                                                            |
| UTTAR PRADESH                                                                                     | 30,53,984                                                                                         |
| UTTARAKHAND                                                                                       | 7,09,642                                                                                          |
| WEST BENGAL                                                                                       | 29,49,321                                                                                         |
| Total                                                                                             | 5,92,92,900                                                                                       |

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