LABOUR WELFARE COMMITTEE WORKING IN THE PARLIAMENT, ASKED THE CENTRE TO INCREASE MINIMUM PF PENSION, AND ENSURE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FOUR LABOUR CODES.

The parliamentary standing Committee working on the labour laws and welfare headed by Shri Basavaraj Bommai, a senior leader of the ruling party has recommended the case of increasing minimum pension of rupee one thousand paid by the EPFO under its employee welfare scheme. The trade unions and the associations of the pensioners welfare have been demanding an increase in the ongoing minimum pension amount of rupee one thousand from the Government of India, since long. The panel of said committee met on the subject yesterday in New Delhi and concluded that a decade has passed since the minimum pension was fixed as rupee one thousand, a month however no increase has so for been made in this behalf of the demand by the unions of the labour. Considering the manifold increase in the cost of living in 2024 vis-a-vis 2014 and other relevant factors as put before the committee by the stakeholders and the labour unions during their oral evidence last year held during 2023 the committee feel that there is a need to seriously look into the matter and issue necessary review and revision of the said amount of rupee one thousand. Not withstanding the financial implications involved, the committee desire the Ministry/EPFO to take up the significant task sympathetically with a sense of urgency in the larger interest of the effected pensioners and their family members, so as to arrive at an amicable solution. Under the EPS the Union Government contributes 1.16 percent of the wages with a wage ceiling of rupee fifteen thousand a month. A grant in aid is also given to reimburse the difference of amount between minimum pension of rupee one thousand and the actual members pension. The committee further noted that the four labour codes are yet to be implemented, considering the fact that the carrying out the provisions of the said codes it is a statutory obligation on the part of the states/UTs to prepare the rules and the committee impress upon the Ministry to further Intenstify their efforts and pursue the matter with all states /UTs, in a time bound manner, so as to ensure that the four labour law codes are implemented.