Employees’ Provident Fund Organization, the retirement fund body which works under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, has announced the extension to the challan filing date, for the month of March, to 15th of May, 2020. In a press release, they said, “The due date for March, 2020 is ordinarily April 15, 2020. So, grace period of thirty days has been allowed to the establishments covered under EPF & MP Act, 1952 to remit the contributions and administrative charges due for March.”
This announcement has come on the heels of PM Modi’s nation-wide address on Tuesday which extended the lock-down to 3rd of May, 2020. Employers and business owners who are stuck with closed establishments can breathe easy as this extension waives off any interest liability or penalty during the time period.
The Labour Ministry has assessed that this decision will help the working-class with their struggle against coronavirus as EPFO has put an E-Challan-cum-Return (ECR) filing, into effect. ECR will help owners, of eligible establishment, disburse salaries to their employees before they file their Challans, online.
This decision is in keeping with the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. PMGKY will grant relief to EPF covered small-scale establishments who are still disbursing salaries of Rs. 15000 to a maximum of 100 employees. The relief comes as credit from EPF and other funds, for the next three months.