Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS)-95 Scheme – Latest updates about revision of scheme and court case
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 207
ANSWERED ON: 18.07.2022
EPS-95 Scheme
207. SHRI RAJMOHAN UNNITHAN:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:-
(a)whether it is a fact that 30 lakhs of eligible pensioners have not yet received the minimum pension of Rs.1,000 even since introduction of the term PF Pension;
(b)whether the Government has taken steps to review and revise the EPS-95 scheme every ten years and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
(c)whether the Supreme Court has constituted a three-member bench to inquire into the non-payment of pensions to the retiring workers and if so, the details thereof; and
(d)whether the Government is working on a comprehensive revision of the PF pension and if so, the details of the plan to implement the same in near future?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)
(a): No, Sir.
(b): The Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS), 1995 has been framed by the Central Government in accordance with the powers conferred by section 6A of the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions (EPF and MP) Act, 1952. The EPS, 1995 came into force on 19.11.1995. Review and revision of schemes is an ongoing process. The provisions of the EPS, 1995 have been reviewed from time to time based on the recommendations of the Expert Committee and the High Empowered Monitoring Committee as well as taking into account the actuarial evaluation of the Employees’ Pension Fund. Some of the important amendments made in EPS, 1995 are as under:
(i) Increase in wage ceiling from Rs. 6500/- to Rs.15000/- per month from 01.09.2014.
(ii) Provision of a minimum pension of Rs. 1000 per month to the pensioners under EPS, 1995 from 01.09.2014 by providing additional budgetary support wherever the pension was falling short of Rs.1000 as per pre-defined formula for calculation of pension.
(iii) Restoration of normal pension after completion of fifteen years from the date of such commutation, in respect of those members who availed the benefit of commutation of pension under the erstwhile paragraph 12A of the EPS, 1995, on or before 25.09.2008 vide notification G.S.R.132(E) dated 20.02.2020.
(c): The Union of India and the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) have challenged the judgement dated 12.10.2018 of Hon”ble Kerala High Court, which set aside the 2014 amendments to the EPS-95, in the Hon’ble Supreme Court. The Hon’ble Supreme Court vide its order dated 24.08.2021 in Special Leave Petition (C) Nos.8658- 8659 of 2019 and other connected cases directed to refer the matters to a Bench of at least three Judges. The matter is now sub-judice.
(d): The Code on Social Security, 2020 (36 of 2020), was notified on 29.09.2020, which subsumes 9 Central labour laws including the EPF and MP Act, 1952. Section 15 of the new Code envisages to frame various schemes including pension for the employees and their family members. However, the said Code has yet to come into force.
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