Minimum Pension to Labourers

The Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya has said that the Employees’ Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions (EPF & MP) Act, 1952 is applicable to the establishments employing 20 or more workers. The Employees’ Pension Scheme 1995 is one of the Schemes under the Act. Government has notified a minimum pension of Rs. 1000/- per month to the pensioners under Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995. Further, the Government is implementing Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme. All citizens above the age of 60 years and living below poverty line are eligible for benefits under the scheme. For persons above the age of 80 years, the amount of pension has been raised from Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 per month.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya said that the statistics regarding total number of workers employed in the organised sector in the country is not maintained centrally. However, as on 31.03.2014, total number of members under the EPF & MP Act, 1952 are 1178.13 lakhs. There are 310 lakhs contributory members as on 30.06.2014.

The Minister said that a proposal to reduce the threshold limit from 20 to 10 for coverage under EPF & MP Act, 1952 is under consideration of the Government to bring more workers under the ambit of the Act.

Source:pib