#Ramban tunnel collapse
Families of two local deceased workers entitled to pension: EPFO
‘Assistance provided to families at their doorstep’
JAMMU, MAY 24: In continuation to its endeavours to provide social security to the members and their dependents in times of hardships, Rizwan Uddin, Regional P.F Commissioner – I, EPFO RO Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh took cognizance of the recent tragic death of two local workers due to collapse of under construction tunnel at Khooni-Naalah in Ramban and reached out to the family members for providing assistance to them in claiming their eligible Provident Fund, insurance and Pension benefits under the EPF & MP Act, 1952 and the schemes framed there-under.
The RPFC–I along with his team today visited NHAI’s Project Implementation Unit- Ramban office to facilitate the families of deceased employees.
The P F Commissioner visited the spot and met with families of workers who lost their lives in the project (Construction of twin tube tunnels from Digdole to Panthyal). He ensured to help them in every possible way in availing their eligible PF, Pension and Insurance benefits.
A Composite Claim Form and Form 10-D (pension form) was provided to the families of deceased employees (Ishrat and Mohammad Muzaffar).
Alongside, the P.F Commissioner directed the representatives of NHAI Shubham Yadav, Dy. Manager and M/s. Sarla Projects Works Private Ltd. B. S. Raju, Project Manager to submit the duly filled Forms along with requisite documents to Regional Office in Hyderabad as the establishment where the workers were employed was registered under the EPFO Regional Office, Hyderabad.
The P.F Commissioner along with Devender Singh, site incharge and representative of NHAI, Abdul Zabbar, retired tehsildar and Govind, representative of M/s. Sarla Projects Works Pvt. Ltd. also visited village Panthyal, Ramban by walking over two kilometres through the tough terrains to facilitate submission of composite form for pension, Insurance and P.F.
The nominee/widow and children of the two members prima facie appears to be entitled to Pension as the members wages as stated by the family members fell within the eligibility limit. Besides that, the nominee will get Insurance and P.F accumulations with interest.
The P.F Commissioner also chaired a meeting with representatives of all the contractor companies working under NHAI, PIU-Ramban and advised them to follow good industrial practice and take proper care of their workers like opening their P.F A/c and depositing their PF dues on time in their respective account.
Some of the establishments namely M/s Gammon Engineers and Contractors Pvt. Ltd., M/s Dinesh Chandra R. Agrawal were advised to ensure that outstanding dues are remitted within two days. Contractors and NHAI were also advised to ensure that the Universal Account Number (UAN) is generated in respect of all the workers on the date of their joining.
A day earlier on (May 23), an awareness programme was conducted by Rizwan Uddin, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I at Banihal, regarding The Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. Representatives of IRCON International Limited (A Government PSU) participated in the programme.
In light of the recent tragic incident in Ramban, the P.F Commissioner, while highlighting the importance of e-nomination, informed that EPFO gives Provident Fund (PF) nomination facility to all EPFO members to ensure social security of the family members of its subscribers. “Now, an EPFO member can submit EPF, EPS nomination digitally by logging in at the EPFO website — www.epfindia.gov.in” he said. He further informed that an EPF account holder must remember that he or she can change its EPF or PF account nominee by filing new PF nomination.
