Odisha Govt Asked To Extend Provident Fund Benefits To ASHA, Anganwadi, MDM Workers

Bhubaneswar: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) Odisha Office has directed the Odisha government to extend benefits of Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions (EPF & MP Act) 1952 to Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Anganwadi workers and mid-day meal workers of the state.

Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner Maushumi Lata Padhi in a letter issued to Commissioner cum Secretary, Labour, and ESI Department of Odisha government on February 20 has stated that EPF and MP Act 1952 apply to all establishments employing 20 or more employees for extension of three different schemes such as Employees Provident Fund Scheme 1952, Employees Pension Scheme 1995, and Employees Deposit Insurance Scheme 1976 for allowing Provident fund, Pension, and Insurance to eligible employees of registered establishments.

Padhi said appropriate advisory/direction/communication should be issued to all departments engaging mid-day meal workers or cook cum helpers, ASHA and Anganwadi workers.

The EPFO has already issued similar directives in Bihar and Jharkhand based on a complaint by RTI activist and advocate Rajnish Ratnakar from Bihar urging government to extend social security benefits to about 60 lakh honourary workers of the country, UNI reported.

This directive seeks to benefit about 1.20 lakh Anganwadi workers and helpers, one lakh mid-day meal workers and 49,000 ASHA workers in Odisha, Deccan Chronicle reported.