No.EPS95 / NAC / VVIP / Protest / 3003 Dt.30.03.2021
To,
The Hon'ble Minister of Labour and Employment
Govt.of India,
New Delhi
Subject: - Countrywide programme for submission of Memorandum to the Hon Prime Minister on dated 06.04.2021 through all the EPFO offices to protest against the unjust behavior of the Employees Provident Fund Organization.
Reference: - This organisation Letter No.EPS95 / NAC / VVIP / 2103 Dtd.21.03.2021.
Hon Sir,
Your good self is aware that on the one hand, the Hon'ble Prime Minister promised us to fulfill the most reasonable demands of the EPS 95 Pensioners when the delegation led by Mrs. Smt Hema Malini ji had an Honour to meet him on dated 4.3.2020 . During the meeting held, a direct assurance has been given and instructions have also been passed to the Ministers concerned for resolving the EPS 95 Pensioner's demands. Since then all the pensioners are looking at the Prime Minister with hopeful eyes.
According to the advice of the Hon'ble Minister for Labour and Employment the ongoing thousands of agitations from Tehsil level to Delhi level by the NAC have been withdrawn (except for the chain hunger strike for the last 825 days of Buldhana Maharashtra).
However, on the other hand, the employees' provident fund organization continues to do injustice to pension holders.
For example -
1. Regarding higher pension on actual salary , the truth is that even after the provision in the original scheme, the higher pension on actual salary is not being given by the EPFO. Unfortunately, the poor old age Pensioners pensioners had to knock the doors of courts.
These matters continue for many years. Though the pensioners have been getting justice through hard fought battles at the courts. Finally in RC Gupta's case, it came to the notice of the Hon Supreme Court that many departments did not even gave timely information about the option for higher pension to the employees. Some departments While not giving any information to the employees, it was mutually decided between themselves and the EPFO that higher pension on actual salary is not in the interest of the employees (for example the decision dated 31.5.1997 taken by the MSEB administration is presented) nor did the EPFO implement it .
Considering all these elements, the Hon'ble Supreme Court ordered "Higher Pension on Actual salary" on 4.10.2016 on the basis of logic, facts and evidences. According to the Hon Supreme Court order, the then Labour Minister replied in the Parliament on 23.3.2017, stating that those who remitted the contibution to EPF on full salary,above statutory ceiling,now they would get pension even if they did not give the option before 2006.
After getting the approval as per all the rules of the Government, on 23.03.2017, the EPFO also issued an order for higher pension on actual salary but later on,an interim advisory was issued by the EPFO on 31.05.2017 depriving pensioners of the Exempted Establishment from this facility. Thereby the EPFO forced the old pensioners to knock the doors of the court again.
Now, after four years breaking all the boundries the EPFO issued a letter on dated 20.03.2021 negated his own circular dated 23.03.2017 (which states implementation of the Supreme Court order to provide higher pension on actual salary). Now this issue has been kept in abeyance unilaterally. This action not only insulted the Supreme Court but also insulted the Parliament.
2. The EPFO has not given correct information to the Attorney General about the pension related cases in the Supreme Court.
It is being publicized that if higher pension is given, then Rs. 15 lakh crore would be spent while in the reality (according to the information given by EPFO in the meeting of Central Board of Trustees dated 13.04.2018,) Rs. 662.9 crore per month expenditure is likely been to be incurred. Considering the increasing age of pensioners, the ability to deposit funds the pensioners are likely to opt for the minimum pension if the amount is raised to Rs. 7500+ DA as proposed by our organization. The number of pensioners accepting the option of higher pension in this case will be negligible.
3. Unrealistic issues have been presented by the Labour Secretary to the Parliamentary Committee on Labour, without checking the correct fact. The Parliamentary Committee on Labour has also not considered the fact / written proposals submitted on behalf of our organization. It means that only one side and that too of the EPFO has been taken in account by the Parliamentary Committee on Labour.
During the years 2017 to 23.09.2020 , about 1,64,003 pensioners passed away awaiting justice and many more who are in the last stage of their lives. This can definitely be said to be the culmination of the dogma and unfortunate functioning of the EPFO.
There is intense rage towards EPFO among pensioners for the above reasons.
Programme to handover the memorandum in the name of the Hon Prime Minister expressing all the truths, facts and feelings of pensioners through all the country-wide offices of the EPFO is being carried out on 06.04.2021.
This country-wide protest will be carried out by burning a Copy of the EPFO abeyance order dated 20.3.2021.
The protest will be carried out by following all the Government/Administration guide lines regarding CORONA and other issues.
A memorandum to the Hon Prime Minister will also be submitted through concerned EPFO offices.
Yours faithfully,
Commander Ashok Raut,
National President
Copy submitted with respect to:-
Hon. Prime Minister,
Government of India, New Delhi
Hon. Minister of Law and Justice,
Government of India, New Delhi
Hon. Chief Justice, Supreme Court, Delhi.
Hon. Central Provident Fund Commissioner,
EPFO, New Delhi
Copy submitted to : -
All Hon. ACPFC / RPFC
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