India : Digitization of existing Form No. 9 by the EPFO

January 30, 2018

Source: labour.gov.in

Introduction

The Employee’s Provident Fund Organization, Ministry of Labour & Employment, had issued a circular on January 23, 2018, regarding the digitization of existing Form No. 9.[1]

For the purpose of digitization of physical Form No. 9Accordingly, the following steps are to be followed to digitize physical Form No. 9 –

1) Scanning of physical Form No. 9 and upload the same in the system

2) Approval of scanned copy of Form No. 9

3) Approval of member data available in the system

4) Archiving the scanned Form-9 duly indexed for reference.

A look at the above points in detail as given in the circular –

Scanning of physical Form No. 9 and upload the same in the system

A functionality has been devised to upload scanned copy of the Form No. 9 documents available in the field offices. This task is a one-time activity. Scanning of documents would be done by Dealing Assistants as they are the sole custodians of Form- 9 documents. Scanned documents in zip format, would be uploaded using Establishment>>Transaction>>Form-9 SCANNED COPY functionality in UPLOAD role.

The staffs may be provided training as per the requirements of the office with EDP staff and ANOCs. Arrangements for adequate number of PCs support along with the scanners must be done by the field offices to handle the work.

Utilization chart may be prepared for each PC with Scanner in advance. Different folders for each Dealing Assistant may be made in group folder so that Dealing Assistants will save scanned documents in the specified location.

Approval of scanned copy of Form – 9

A functionality is provided at Establishment>>Masters>>SCANNED FORM9 FOR APPROVAL at DA-Accounts. Thereafter, the DA shall initiate the task and AO (Accounts) will approve the same once the scanned copy is found with respect to physical Form–9 copy.

Approval of member data available in the system

A functionality to generate an e-Form 9 for the establishments/ members joining EPF Scheme on or after October 1, 2017 has been provided in the EPFO application software vide version No. 5.68 dated September 22, 2017.

This facility has been extended to generate e-Form-9 for the members/Establishments joined on or after April 1, 2012 in the EPF application software vide circular No. NOC/APPLDEV/2017/e¬Form 9 dated November 15, 2017.

It is further decided that the system will generate the e-Form No. 9 for all establishments/ members available in EPFO database prior to Oct 2017 once member details are AO Accounts. In other words, the functionality to approve e-Form 9 data i.e. “Approve e-Form 9 data (April 2012 to Sep 2017)” has be renamed as “Approve Form 9 prior to October 2017” along with necessary changes in the logic.

Accordingly, e-Form 9 generation functionality has also been renamed as “Generate e-Form 9 prior to October, 2017.”‘

Archiving the scanned Form 9 duly indexed for reference

Once the scanning and approval of data is completed, the physical Form 9 pertaining to those establishments may be archived and stored in the record room/go-down, duly indexed for easy retrieval, in case of requirement for dealing with any legal/vigilance issues.

[1] https://www.labourlawnews.com/epfo-digitize-existing-form-no-9-documents-prior-1st-april-2012/digitization-of-existing-form-no-9/

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