EPFO HIGHER PENSION: For thousands of employees across the country, the dream of getting higher pension is coming to an end and their hopes are turning into disappointment as they do not get a second chance after their application is rejected. A lower-level employee working in a public sector company in Hyderabad recently faced this problem.
Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation
After his application was kept pending by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) for over a year, it was rejected without any explanation. On investigation, it was found that the company management had failed to provide all the information sought by the EPFO, due to which the application was rejected. Later, EPFO officials said that they could not do anything further.
This is not an isolated case. Thousands of employees working in central and state government organisations are caught in the same trap. Once the application for higher pension is rejected, there is no provision for reconsideration or renewal, leaving applicants anxious and frustrated.
7.35 lakh applications rejected across the country
Out of the 17.49 lakh applications received for higher pension across the country, 1.65 lakh applications were rejected in Telangana alone and 57,000 in Andhra Pradesh. Shockingly, EPFO has rejected 7.35 lakh applications across the country, often citing minor technical flaws.
Applicants were asked to submit Form 3A and Form 6A challans documenting contributions from the inception of the EPS-1995 Act till 2009. However, employees argue that it is the responsibility of the management to provide these records and question the fairness of penalizing them for deficiencies in documentation.
Employees demanding justice
More than 1,800 employees and pensioners of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant also faced a similar problem. Despite paying EPS dues of Rs 410 crore, they were told that they would not get higher pension due to technical flaws in the EPF Trust rules. However, the employees’ problem was resolved after the intervention of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and talks with the Centre. Now, government employees are demanding similar intervention and justice. They urge the authorities to ensure that central and state sector employees are not denied their due pension due to process-related flaws.
Rejected for these reasons
Central Board of Trustees (CBT) member Sunkari Mallesham said, “Higher pension applications of thousands of employees in central and state government organisations in Hyderabad have been rejected for minor reasons. We raised this issue in the regional board meeting on March 27. EPFO officials say that they are following the orders of the central office and will take action only after revised instructions are issued. I will raise the matter again in the upcoming CBT meetings and pressurize the board to ensure that all eligible employees get their higher pension.”