India 2018

Labour, Skill Development and Employment 411
Pension Reforms
Implementation of Minimum Pension Provisions
During the year one of the long awaited demands for implementation of the
minimum pension was given effect to. The Central Government had started a
minimum pension of ` 1,000/- per month for member/ widow(er)/ disabled/
nominee/ dependent parent pensioners, ` 750/- per month for orphan
pensioners and ` 250/- per month for children pensioners.
After implementation of the minimum pension notification the pension
for all member/ widow(er)/ disabled/ nominee/ dependent parent pensioners
whose original pension were less than ` 1,000/- p.m. have been fixed at the
minimum of ` 1,000/- p.m. Deductions on account of benefits availed by
members on the basis of choice exercised at the time of making claims like
commutation, return of capital and short service are applied on the minimum
pension of ` 1,000/- p.m. The determination of pension under EPS, 1995 after
implementation of the minimum pension notification is in consonance with
the provisions of the scheme as well as the amendments introduced thereto.
Online Registration of Establishments
In 2014, the EPFO launched a portal for online registration of establishments
for the employers.
Universal Account Number
The facility of Universal Account Number (UAN) for EPF subscribers was
launched in 2014. Portability is an inherent feature of the UAN programme.
UAN provides automatic portability of Provident Fund account on change of
employment if the employee has activated his UAN by seeding his Know Your
Customer details (through the employer).
Industrial Relations
Maintenance of harmonious industrial relations remains an avowed objective
of Ministry of Labour and Employment. Due to constant endeavour of the
industrial relations machineries of both the centre and the states, the overall
industrial relations climate has generally remained peaceful and cordial.
Twenty-two Central Government Industrial Tribunal (CGIT)-cum-Labour
Courts were set up under the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
for adjudication of industrial disputes in organizations for which the central
government is the appropriate government. These Tribunals are located at
Dhanbad (Jharkhand), Mumbai, New Delhi and Chandigarh (two courts each)
and one each at Kolkata, Jabalpur, Kanpur, Nagpur, Lucknow, Bangalore, Jaipur,
Chennai, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar, Ahmedabad, Ernakulam, Asansol and
Guwahati. Further, the two Industrial Tribunals at Mumbai (No.1) and Kolkata
also function as National Tribunals. In order to reduce pendency of cases Lok
Adalats are being organized by the CGITcum-Labour Courts as an alternate
grievance redressal mechanism.