EPFO adds 17.08 lakh net subscribers in April
Author: BI Bureau
New Delhi: The provisional payroll data of EPFO released recently highlights that EPFO has added 17.08 lakh net subscribers in the month of April, 2022. A year-on-year comparison of payroll data shows an increase of 4.32 lakh net subscribers in April, 2022 as compared to the net subscription in the month of April, 2021 last year.
Out of the total 17.08 lakh subscribers added during the month, around 9.23 lakh new members have come under the social security cover of EPF and MP Act, 1952 for the first time. Approximately 7.85 lakh net subscribers exited & re-joined the establishments covered under EPFO by changing their jobs within the establishments covered by EPFO and opted to retain membership under the Scheme, through transfer of funds rather than coming for final withdrawal of their PF accumulations.
The age-wise comparison of payroll data indicates that the age-group of 22-25 years has registered the highest number of net enrolments with 4.30 lakh additions during April, 2022. This is followed by the age-group of 29-35 years with a healthy addition of 3.74 lakh net additions during the month. In nutshell, these two age-groups constitute around 47.07 per cent net subscribers additions during the month.
The state-wise comparison of payroll figures highlights that the establishments covered in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Gujarat and Delhi to remain in lead by adding approximately 11.60 lakh net subscribers during the month, which is 67.91 per cent of total net payroll addition across all age groups.
The gender-wise analysis indicates that net female payroll addition is approximately 3.65 lakh during the month. The share of female enrolment is 21.38 per cent of the total net subscriber addition during the month of April, 2022 with an increase of 17,187 net enrolments over the previous month of March, 2022.
The classification of industry-wise payroll data indicates that mainly two categories -- ‘expert services’ (consisting of manpower agencies, private security agencies and small contractors, etc., and ‘trading-commercial establishments’ constitute 48.25 per cent of total subscriber addition during the month. EPFO provides provident fund, pension benefits to the members on their retirement and family pension and insurance benefits to their families in case of untimely death of the member. /BI/
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The exports of agricultural commodities from March to June 2020 shot up by 23.24 percent on-year to Rs 25,552.7 crores.
As the economy comes to a standstill amid the coronavirus-led lockdown, India’s agriculture sector has taken the baton of economic growth in its hands. The exports of agricultural commodities from March to June 2020 shot up by 23.24 percent on-year to Rs 25,552.7 crores, according to the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. The government said that self-reliant agriculture is critical for the goal of an Atmanirbhar Bharat and for this, agricultural export is extremely important as besides earning foreign exchange for the country, the exports help farmers, producers, and exporters to take advantage of the wider international market and increase their income.
The surge in exports has also resulted in increased production in the farm sector by increasing coverage area and productivity. The share of India’s agricultural exports and imports in the world agriculture trade in 2017 was 2.27 percent and 1.90 percent, respectively. Even during the difficult time of pandemic lockdown, India took care not to disturb the world food supply chain and continued to export, the government said.
Ministry of Agriculture has prepared a comprehensive action plan for the promotion of Agri trade; the twofold approach focuses on boosting Agri Export with emphasis on value addition and action plan for Import Substitution. Recently, the Agriculture sector has witnessed a series of reforms, giving more choices to the farmers to sell their produce at competitive rates.
To mention a few, the Export strategy focuses on the export promotion of fast-evolving niche markets of Wellness food/ Health-conscious food/nutraceuticals, Development of “Brand India” in campaign mode to help penetration into new foreign markets and of new products which automatically translates into higher value realization, Gulf countries have been identified as focus destination to increase the market share which is a strong market for India though presently India caters to only 10-12% share of their total imports. A product-market matrix has been made containing a list of products of strength that could be expanded in new geographies and a list of known markets which can be introduced with newer products.
At the behest of the Department of Agricultural Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture, product-specific Export Promotion Forums have been created to lead Agri exports to new heights. Each Export Promotion Forum shall be having exporters of the related commodity as its members along with official members representing concerned Ministries/Departments of the Central and State Governments. Chairman APEDA shall be the chairman of each of these forums. The forums will meet at least once every two months, to discuss recommendations on issues pertaining to the export.
The recommendations of the forum will be placed in the product committee / Authority of APEDA. The Forum will keep in close contact with the concerned organization of the Ministry of Agriculture such as MIDH, Extension, NPPO, etc., DGFT, Ministry of Civil Aviation, MoFPI, etc. to further the interest of agricultural export.
