More than Rs. 27,000 crore are lying as inoperative funds with the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the beneficiary workers would be identified and the amounts refunded, Union Minister for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya said here on Sunday.
Speaking to presspersons after visiting Nacharam ESI Hospital here, Mr. Dattatreya said these amounts were languishing as inoperative funds for more than four years and the process of identifying the workers to whom the amounts belong, has been initiated.
“The amounts include workers’ and employers’ contribution and we will also seek the assistance of trade unions in identifying the rightful owners of the money,” he said.
The Union government was also taking steps to start the Panch Deep project which would bring data on all the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) insured persons and their employers on single platform for e-governance.
“We will be spending Rs.1,900 crore for the project which will document all relevant data of more than 1.70 crore insured persons (IPs),” he said.
On ESIC, the Union Minister also requested the governments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to form respective State executive committees so that required administrative powers could be handed to them.
A decision on doing away with the project to start 13 medical and dental colleges for which Rs.10,000 crore were already spent, was taken and the State governments were asked to take over the facilities. “They have been asked to take a decision by January 31 and if they are not forthcoming, we will review and come up with required policy,” he said.
During the inspection of the hospital, Mr. Dattatreya was greeted with complaints on the staff shortage and inadequate facilities.
Hospital authorities explained that of the 524 sanctioned posts, 155 posts were lying vacant including 50 nursing posts. Some nurses complained on their cases being ignored for promotions.
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