Govt mulls making EPF rules applicable to smaller companies

Government is considering amendments to Employees' Provident Fund  provisions to make it applicable on every establishment in which 10 or more persons are employed, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Replying to starred question, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya said at present, these provisions are applicable only to establishments which employ 20 or more people.

Maintaining that it wanted to provide wider coverage to EPF provisions, he said the government is also committed to provide social security to those in the unorganised sector and referred to a pilot project for rickshaw pullers as an initiative to spread social security benefits on a wider scale.

Dattatreya was speaking after members raised question relating to the problems of social security cover for them.

Some members raised questions like that even government establishments were employing only contract labour, while some others spoke of the meagre salaries paid to contract labour.

The minister assured members that if any violation of the prescribed laws come to his attention, he would press for action.