NASHIK :
A total 20,000 members of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) withdrew Rs 46 crore retirement savings during the Coronavirus-induced lockdown. Government also paid Rs 27.95 lakh to company owners and establishments got 27.95 crore.
The EPFO, under the Union labour and employment ministry, has settled a total of 20,000 claims under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) package. Workers and owners from Nashik, Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar and Ahmednagar districts falling in Nashik division took benefit of the scheme
Earlier, on March 28, the EPFO allowed formal sector workers to withdraw a non-refundable advance from their retirement savings to deal with the hardships due to the lockdown.
A total of 5,265 companies were eligible for the scheme valid for March, April and May. However, it has later had been extended by three months again.
Besides this, EPFO Nashik lent a supporting hand to pension holders. It is depositing pension of a total of 1,30,149 pension holders from Nashik, Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar and Ahmednagar districts on last day of every month to prevent their inconvenience during current pandemic crisis. Nashik office is in second position in terms of number of pensioners.
A total of 15% employees of divisional EPFO are doing this work as per government order. All EPFO members and pension holders should avail benefit of the scheme and face current pandemic firmly.
M M Ashraf, zonal commissioner, EPFO
