GS AIGETOA writes to CMD BSNL for urgent intervention regarding the uploading of approved documents to EPFO Portal for All BSNL Recruited Employees who had already submitted their EPF Higher Pension Option applications to BSNL and ensuring 100% submission to EPFO by deadline of 31.01.2025.

Click here for the Letter to CMD BSNL

As per the recent press release by EPFO, the last date for employers to submit the approved copies of higher pension option applications to the EPFO portal is 31.01.2025. Despite previous instructions and guidelines from BSNL Corporate Office, hundreds of EPF higher pension option applications are still pending for approval and uploading. Many Account Units have cited difficulties in accessing old data, particularly for employees transferred before the 2009-2010 period. However, as per the EPF & MP Act, 1952, it remains the employer’s responsibility to retain payroll records, and these challenges should not hinder timely submissions.

It is a well-established fact that BSNL directly Recruited employees of BSNL are not protected by any statutory pension or medical schemes. Their only remaining support post-retirement is the SAB (Superannuation Benefit) contributions. This association has also pursued legal remedies to ensure the implementation of EPF higher pension options, which are now being implemented. Therefore, the exclusion of any eligible employee who has opted for the higher pension scheme is unacceptable.

AIGETOA demands the BSNL Management that the responsibility be directly fixed for any exclusion from the EPFO portal upload, and if any eligible employee is excluded, BSNL will be held liable for the pension disbursement at the rates calculated by EPFO for each and every omitted employee.

As informed earlier through update on 4th January, 2025, and continuous persuasion with concerned section of Corporate office, instruction to the Circles have been issued on 7th January, 2025 wherein Circle heads and IFA’s are directed to ensure to upload wage details etc. and approve the all pending joint declaration application at BSNL end on or before 31st January 2025 without fail.

All CS-CP are requested to follow up with instruction person dealing in EPF Higher Pension matter and CGM and IFA on regular basis to get approved all the pending applications. It is to be noted that this is last opportunity given to the employer by EPFO.

Team AIGETOA will work with full enthusiasm to complete this EPF Higher Pension approval work.

Team AIGETOA met the concerned officers of Corporate office and intimated about the opening of window by EPFO by way of extension of due date of approval of joint declarations pending at employer end on or before 31st of January 2025. This may be perhaps last chance given by the EPFO.

In this connection, we have requested to issue the instructions to the Circles regarding approval of joint declaration for higher pension pending at the BSNL end on or before 31st January, 2025 on immediate basis.

As discussed instructions to Circles will be issued by next week preferably on coming Monday or Tuesday.

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has announced an increase in the maximum limit for retirement and death gratuity for Central Government employees. As per the latest circular issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the maximum gratuity amount has been raised to Rs. 25 lakh, effective January 1, 2024.

Click here for the letter

This revision comes in line with the increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) payable to Central Government employees to 50% of the basic pay. The previous maximum gratuity limit was Rs. 20 lakh.

The circular, issued by the Additional Central PF Commissioner (HR), states that this enhancement is subject to other conditions mentioned in the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoP&PW) Office Memorandum dated August 4, 2016.

The increase in the gratuity limit will provide additional financial security to Central Government employees upon retirement or in the event of their demise. Gratuity is a lump-sum payment made to employees as a benefit for their service, and it forms an important component of retirement planning.

GS AIGETOA writes to CMD BSNL and Hon’ble Labour Minister seeking their urgent intervention in settling the EPFO Intimations Causing Confusion for those executives who opted pension for higher wages and EPF authorized signatories of BSNL.

AIGETOA highlights the important issue that has arisen after the approval of the Joint Option for pension on higher wages by the employer (authorized signatories of BSNL). It has come to our attention that EPFO Regional Offices are sending error intimations to numerous members who opted pension for higher wages, requesting clarification, error correction, and the submission of accurate and complete information along with additional proof or evidence within a one-month period. In the letter sent by the EPFO, identical reasons are provided without specifying the exact mistakes or errors in question.

Without clear indication of the errors, members and authorized signatories are left unable to accurately correct the issues or provide the necessary documents. This approach by EPFO has led to significant confusion among BSNL employees and EPF authorized signatories of BSNL. Accordingly, GS AIGETOA urges the intervention of Hon’ble CMD BSNL and Hon’ble Labour Minister in this matter to engage with EPFO HQ to issue unequivocal guidelines that can clarify the course of action required in these situations.

Click here for the letter

AIGETOA fought hard and won the EPF Higher Pension Scheme case for BSNL Executives as direct applicants and then ensured that the same is implemented without any hitch in BSNL. The requirement of furnishing proof for joint undertaking was a big show stopper which was resolved by AIGETOA and it’s team by getting directions from Hon’ble High Court. The efforts of AIGETOA was appreciated not only within BSNL but also by other PSUs, Mr Kohli (The crusader for higher pension option) and various Electronic and Print Media.

AIGETOA – Championing the cause of social security for all the BSNL Recruits. Only associations fighting for pensionary benefits to BSNL Recruits.

Only alternative to AIGETOA is an even more strong AIGETOA.

In order to enable all eligible persons to file their applications, EPFO on Tuesday extended the date for filing applications to opt for a higher pension till June 26, 2023. Members of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) can apply jointly with their employers till the extended deadline, by choosing the option of higher pension (EPFO Higher Pension) on the Unified Members’ portal of the EPFO site.

Click here for News

We the CHQ team of AIGETOA has met with PGM (CA) and discussed the problems facing by the executives of BSNL while filing the wage data by the authorised signatories under EPFO and also submitted the AIGETOA representation in this regard.

We also requested him to write a letter to EPFO for the extension of the date of filing of the higher pension option on the EPFO portal so that all interested employees can opt in website.

PGM CA assured us that we will take up the issues as discussed and try to resolve the issues in timebound manner.

AIGETOA writes to CMD BSNL for intervention & interaction with respective EPFOs regarding Certification of Past data by various DDOs and final submission.

Click here for letter

The approval / certification process from employer side is being routed to the respective establishment code login which were being used at the time of contribution. In this regard, we have highlighted the following:

• BSNL payroll system was not a centralised package before ERP and HRMS. Different packages were used in various circles for Pay roll.

• Thousands of employees were transferred across BAs/Circles and worked in various sections which are presently non-existent. Like Merged BAs/ QA, T&D, inspection, Civil, electrical, centralised mobile sections, etc.

• Even the EPFO also was not maintaining centralised EPF accounts before the introduction of UAN. Thus, thousands of BSNL employee’s data approval with the employer got struck despite submission of the online options by the employees on EPF portal.

• As per ground reports, negligible Application have been approved owing to the non-availability of data and confusion over the responsibility of DDOs in the absence of service books at the officers where the verification of the past accounts have been routed. Many applications have been rejected from the login itself.

• Wage data is being asked from the employees and the staff working in field have little or no knowledge of the process and neither they are getting any support on this process.

• The internal directions and circular issued by EPFO are making confusion among the concerned accounts wing team too. When the service Book of each employee are with the latest establishment code in BSNL (respective Circles) where the employees is presently posted. The certification for each employee is also being done by the present Circle level DDO. EPFO needs to be informed about this as previous accounts are being sent to the earlier DDOs.

• An Employee cannot be held responsible for non-keeping of centralised payroll by Employer and Centralised PF account system by EPFO in the past. Neither did the employee has been informed about the EPF contributions in the past which was a mandatory exercise by employer.

• A major issue at Employer part (in the login of AO-Cash) is validation of data while uploading Wage data of employee in TXT file. Several checks are being done at this level, which are not disclosed to employer resulting error(s) in uploading the file.

• The requirement of applying exclusively online, is discriminatory and prevents large sections of employees who are not familiar with the procedures from exercising their option. This was pointed out by CBT Members several times. Besides, the online system of the EPFO suffers from major connectivity, issues and the sites are not responsive maximum of the times.

All employees who desires to give EPF higher Pension Option are requested to submit the 26(6) option form filled up with Name, UAN, Date of joining and duly signed immediately to BA HQ so as to reach the same to Circle Office DDO within Two days . The filled up forms will have to taken to Circle office by person by hand/ early courier and the same after signing by Employer (Circle DDO) need to be submitted to EPF Office and One copy back to employee to submit it in the online link.

Click here for the Joint Declaration under para 26(6)

Employees are also requested to write their mobile number and email id at the back side of each form so that the signed and scanned copy by the employer can be sent to each employee which will help to minimise the delay.

Being the recognized association Team AIGETOA is doing the Co-ordination work. For any clarification please contact concerned District/ Circle team.