The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) held an interactive session on its key initiatives and schemes at IOCL-Bongaigaon Refinery (IOCL-BGR), Bongaigaon, on 9 October 2026. The session was chaired by Shri Shishir Kant Jha, Additional Central Provident Fund Commissioner, North East Region.

 

The session covered five key initiatives: enhancement of the EPF wage ceiling from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per month, Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY), Employees’ Enrolment Campaign (EEC) 2026, VISHWAS Scheme and the Principal Employer Portal.

 

Shri Nayan Kumar Barua, Executive Director and Refinery Head, IOCL-BGR, inaugurated the session. Shri Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-II and Officer-in-Charge, District Office, Bongaigaon, and Shri Sujoy Bhattacharya, Enforcement Officer, delivered presentations on these initiatives. Representatives of refinery management, contractors and contract employees attended the programme.

 

Participants were briefed on the proposed enhancement of the EPF wage ceiling and its implications for expanding social security coverage. The provisions of PM-VBRY were also discussed, particularly its role in incentivising employment generation and promoting workforce formalisation.

 

The session highlighted EEC 2026 as an opportunity for eligible establishments to enrol previously uncovered employees, subject to prescribed conditions. The VISHWAS Scheme was discussed in relation to facilitating compliance and providing relief for specified past defaults in accordance with its provisions. The role of the Principal Employer Portal in strengthening compliance and monitoring was also covered.

 

The interactive session provided a platform for IOCL-BGR management and contractors to seek clarifications on scheme provisions and implementation-related issues. It underscored the importance of awareness and timely compliance in extending social security benefits to all eligible workers.