The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Jammu, organised its flagship public outreach programme, Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0, in Samba.
The outreach programme was held at the SIDCO Industrial Complex, Bari Brahmana, with the objective of strengthening stakeholder awareness, promoting social security initiatives and improving service delivery at the grassroots level.
A major focus of the programme was the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY), a flagship initiative of the Government of India aimed at boosting formal employment generation and expanding social security coverage for workers across the country. Participants were sensitised about the objectives, benefits and implementation framework of PMVBRY, particularly its role in encouraging establishments to create new employment opportunities while ensuring EPF-linked social security benefits for employees.
During the interaction, officials informed that 2,432 establishments and 44,194 employees in the Jammu division had already registered under PMVBRY, reflecting an encouraging response from employers and the growing momentum towards formalisation of the workforce in the region. The scheme is emerging as a significant catalyst in strengthening labour welfare and supporting the national vision of Viksit Bharat and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
The programme was presided over by Enforcement Officers Devinder Singh and Bal Krishan. Addressing the participants, the officers emphasised the importance of proactive engagement with employers and employees to ensure timely access to EPFO services and greater awareness of social security benefits.
To facilitate ease of compliance and improve user convenience under PMVBRY, EPFO has introduced the establishment modification request functionality on the PMVBRY registration portal. The feature enables employers to seamlessly submit PAN change requests and resolve registration-related issues in a time-bound manner.
The programme also provided an overview of key government initiatives aimed at strengthening labour welfare and expanding the social security net. Participants were apprised of the forthcoming implementation of the four Labour Codes, which seek to consolidate and modernise labour laws to ensure fair wages, safer workplaces, universal social security and improved working conditions for employees.