EPFO pushes social security enrolment in Nagaland

Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has opened an information and enrolment stall at Kisama during the ongoing Hornbill Festival to raise awareness on social security among Nagaland’s working population, where EPF membership remains “extremely low” despite multiple benefits and new central government incentives.
Regional PF Commissioner-II, EPFO SSO Dimapur, Samuel Das, told Nagaland Post that the stall was set up after observing that awareness levels in Nagaland were far lower compared to other states. Despite a population of around 22 lakh, he said the State currently has only about 15,000 EPF members, a gap EPFO is now trying to address.
Das explained that EPF, enacted under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, initially covered factory and industrial workers but has since been extended to non-factory establishments such as societies, NGOs, private hospitals, schools, MSMEs and small-scale industries. The scheme, he said, provides the “highest rate of interest in India” on provident fund savings, monthly pension for members and dependants, and insurance coverage of up to Rs. 7 lakh.
He noted that while many private employers in Nagaland were willing to provide EPF benefits, reluctance among workers themselves remained a challenge. “Workers must be aware that social security is their right,” he said, mentioning that the Act is backed by constitutional principles mandating the State to work for citizens’ welfare.
Highlighting new central schemes, Das said the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana (PMVBRY), effective from August 1, 2025, provides incentives for first-time PF members. Individuals joining EPFO for the first time can receive up to Rs.15,000 per month directly into their bank accounts through DBT, while employers hiring them can receive up to Rs. 3,000 per month for two years.
He further informed that the Employee Enrolment Campaign 2025, operational from November 1, allows establishments that had not registered earlier to enrol retrospectively from July 2017. Under this scheme, the employee’s share of past contributions is waived, while employers may deposit their share without penalty except a nominal Rs. 100 token amount, although interest remains payable.
Das urged employers to take advantage of the limited-time enrolment window, warning that penalties would resume once the campaign closes. He encouraged them to visit the EPFO stall at Kisama, where officials supported by dedicated Airtel fibre connectivity are assisting visitors with on-the-spot guidance.
He added that EPFO services include withdrawal options for contingencies such as marriage and medical needs, and digital life certificate facilities enabling pensioners to complete the process through mobile phones without visiting banks.
The EPFO team at Kisama, he said, aims to “draw the people of Nagaland into the mainstream” of social security awareness and ensure that every working person in the State is covered under the benefits they are legally entitled to.