Extension of EPF support, free LPG refills get Cabinet approval

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved extension of Employees’ Provident Fund support for small businesses and workers earning up to Rs 15,000 till August. The decision has been taken to facilitate a higher take-home salary for employees and help employers make the statutory contribution, the government said.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters that extension of the benefit will provide relief to nearly 3.7 lakh establishments and 72.2 lakh employees. The Centre has estimated total expenditure of Rs 4,860 crore for this. It will pay both the 12% employees’ share and the 12% employers’ share under EPF.
The Centre also allowed 7.4 crore poor women to avail of three free LPG cylinders till September. Earlier, it had allowed them to get this quota between April and June. “PM Uday Yojana has emerged as an important pillar of India’s fight against Covid-19. The decision to extend time limit for availing free LPG cylinders under PMGKY will benefit poor mothers and sisters who have yet not been able to consume the three refills allotted to PMUY beneficiaries,” oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.
The Cabinet also approved extension of distribution of free grains and pulses under PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna till November to nearly 81 crore beneficiaries and 1kg chana (gram) to each of the 20 crore families under National Food Security Act. The food ministry said extending free ration to migrants without ration cards, which was being given under Atmanirbhar Bharat, was under consideration.