EPFO to launch special drive to clear pending grievances

Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances observed that 3,165 grievance were pending for over two months

Retirement fund body EPFO has directed its field offices to launch a special drive for the disposal of all subscribers grievances, particularly those pending for more than 30 days.

An office order said: "Launch the special drive for disposal of all grievances especially which are pending for more than 30 days. It should be ensured that there should not be any pending grievance for more than 180 days and 30 days as on October 24, 2013 and October 31, 2013 respectively."

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation has decided to launch this special drive for disposing of the grievances after the Ministry of the Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions (MPPGP) took up the issue with the Labour Ministry.

The Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances under the MPPGP has called a review meeting to discuss the pending grievances under the Chairmanship of Joint Secretary (Public Grievances) on October 25.

The department has asked the Labour Ministry to dispose of all these grievances by October 31 this year.

According to a letter to Labour Ministry, the department said the status of grievance disposal was reviewed on October 1, and it was observed that 3,165 grievance were pending for over two months.

In response to the letter, the ministry asked the EPFO and Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) which comes under its purview to launch a special drive for disposing of pending grievances.

As per the guidelines on the subject, grievances are required to be acknowledged within three days of the receipt and should be redressed within a period of maximum two months of its receipt.

In case the time taken for redressal of grievance takes more than two month, an interim reply is required to be sent.