Digital signature with EPFO not compulsory: minister

Minister of State for Labour and Employment Kodikunnil Suresh today informed Lok Sabha that Employees Provident Fund Organisation has not made it mandatory for all employers with more than 1,000 workers to send their digital signatures to the EPFO.

“Registration of digital signature with EPFO is not mandatory. However, field offices of EPFO have been instructed to make maximum efforts to obtain digital signatures of the employers or their representatives,” Suresh told the House in a written reply.[caption id=“attachment_1060851” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Kodikunnil Suresh. Image courtesy PIB [/caption]

“The electronic challan return (ECR) filed by employers show that the number of employees employed by an establishment changes from month to month. However, an analysis of ECR between February, 2013 to June, 2013 suggests that out of 7,43,045 enrolled establishment under Employees’ Provident Fund & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, 5232 establishment reported more than 1,000 contributing members,” the minister said.

The EPFO is also implementing the facility for online claim settlement in respect of transfer claims.

“The system will be made operative after digital signature of willing employer or his representative is registered with EPFO. Necessary communication to this effect has already been sent to all employers and the process of registration of digital signature has also begun,” Suresh said.