The EPFO has put in place an online mechanism as part of the electronic challan-cum-return (ECR) filing to enable entities to get the relief for their eligible employees under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana package.

According to the package, for establishments employing up to 100 employees, the contributing workers can now get credit from EPF & EPS contributions (24 per cent of wages) for three months.

The employer shall disburse the wages for the month to all employees of the establishment and file the ECR with the required certificate and declaration to get the benefit under the scheme.

Moreover, 90 per cent or more of such employees should be drawing monthly wages less than Rs 15,000 and the eligible employee should also have his UAN seeded with Aadhaar.

Around 79 lakh subscribers and 3.8 lakh establishments are to benefit with a subsidy outgo estimated at Rs 4,800 crore for three months, according to a government estimate.

Payments deferred

The EPFO on Wednesday deferred the payment of March contributions till May 15 to provide relief to 6 lakh firms and over 5 crore subscribers in the wake of the lockdown to contain Covid-19.

The due date for March 2020 is usually April 15, 2020, so a grace period of 30 days has been allowed to the establishments covered under EPF & MP Act, 1952 to remit the contributions.