E-Paper
Review plea rejected, EPFO recovers ₹6 cr employer’s share from BFUHS
Over 250 varsity employees, working on contractual basis for more than last 10 years, were not covered under the PF scheme
Rejecting Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, plea seeking review of the pending amount of employers’ share, the regional office of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Bathinda, recovered the default amount of around ₹6 crore from the university.
The EPFO had initiated an inquiry against the university after it was found committing a default in extending benefits under the Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, to its eligible employees.
In the inquiry, it was found that over 250 employees of the university, working on contractual basis for more than last 10 years, were not covered under the PF scheme and subsequently were devoid of social security.
The review plea of the university was rejected by assistant commissioner, provident fund, Ashwani Kumar Barik earlier this month after re-assessing the records and the BFUHS was asked to deposit the pending amount immediately.
BFUHS vice-chancellor Dr Raj Bahadur said that the university has deposited ₹6 crore employer’s share to the PF. “There is no irregularity or negligence in depositing provident fund of employees,” he added.
The EPFO also ordered the university to deposit the penalty and interest imposed on the total default amount due to the delay in deposit. Following this, the university had filed a plea to re-check the amount of employers’ share to PF.
BFUHS registrar Ruhee Dugg said the EPFO officer has calculated the amount of provident fund of the contractual employees to be paid by the university. “We had filed a review application to reassess the records as it could not be that much amount. However, it was not considered. Now, we have filed an appeal to re-check the order to confirm the due amount to be paid by the university. This assessment was conducted in January and we have objected whatever has been calculated,” she added.
