Pune, India – Amid the economic upheaval wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Yojana (ABRY) scheme was initiated by the Central Government to extend support to employees and employers covered under the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. However, recent revelations have unveiled a troubling trend of exploitation, with 89 establishments in Pune jurisdiction allegedly resorting to fraudulent means to claim benefits under the scheme.
Key Points:
- Misuse of Relief Scheme: Under the ABRY Scheme, the Central Government was responsible for remitting both employees’ and employers’ contributions for new entrants/joinees in establishments, aiming to alleviate financial strain amid the pandemic. However, investigations have uncovered instances where establishments submitted falsified documents and inaccurate declarations to illicitly obtain funds.
- Legal Action Initiated: Yogendra Singh Shekhawat, Regional P. F. Commissioner-II (Compliance), disclosed that upon discovering the malpractice, complaints were filed with police authorities. An FIR has been registered by the Wanowrie Police Station against the accused establishments and their proprietors for offenses including cheating and forgery.
- Ongoing Investigations: Shekhawat underscored that additional cases of similar nature are currently under scrutiny, with legal proceedings set to commence upon completion of investigations. Importantly, it was emphasized that the misconduct pertains solely to a subset of employers and is unrelated to compliant establishments and genuine subscribers. EPFO funds remain unaffected by these illicit activities.
- List of Defaulters: The implicated establishments span various sectors, including construction, manpower services, and real estate. Notable among them are AKSHAY TOURS & TRAVELS, FORTUNE ENTERPRISES, KASTURI HOUSING, and ROYAL MANPOWER SERVICES, among others.
The disclosed list of defaulters includes:
AKSHAY TOURS & TRAVELS
D G DEVLOPERS
FORTUNE ENTERPRISES
GANESH DEVLOPERS
HGS SOLUTIONS
INNOVATE EVENTS MANAGEMENT SERVICES
KASTURI HOUSING
KAVYA ENTERPRISES
KIRTI ENTERPIRSES
N A DEVLOPERS
NANDA DEVLOPERS
RAYZEN TOURS AND TRAVELS
ROYAL MAN POWER SERVICES
SAHARA CLEANING SERVICES
SAI BALAJI DEVLOPERS
SAI DEVLOPERS
SB DEVLOPERS
SHEDAGE CONSTRUCTIONS
SHIVANI CONSTRUCTION
SHREE SAI FACILITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES
SHREE SAI MANPOWER SUPPLIERS
S K ENTERPRISES
S K SUPPLIERS
S K S ENTERPRISES
S P LABOUR SUPPLIERS
STAR CLEAN SEVICES
STAR MANPOWER SOLUTIONS
TECHNO MANPOWER SERVICE
TRIDENT ENTERPRISES
TRIMURTI TOURS AND TRAVELS
VEDA HOUSEKEEPING SERVICES
VISION TOURS AND TRAVELS
TRUPTI CONSTRUCTIONS
AKSHAY DEVLOPERS
BHARAT SHIELD FORCE (OPC) PRIVATE LIMITED
COP SQUAD FORCE
ONE STOP SOLUTIONS
J S CONSTRUCTIONS
K SAMRAAT MULTI SERVICES
SHEDGE DEVLOPERS
SHREE CONSTRUCTIONS
TOP SHIELD FORCE
3D CONSTRACTION
AKS ENTERPRISES
AMIT HOUSING ENTERPRISES
BALAJI DEVLOPERS
BALAJI REALITY
BHD ENTERPRISES
CHIRAG MANPOWER SOLUTIONS
D S DEVLOPERS
EKALDEVI DEVLOPERS
IZIZY DEVLOPERS
J H CONSTRUCTION
KASTURI HOUSING
LGS ENTERPRISES
NAIK NAVRE DEVELOPERS
NIRMALA DEVLOPERS
NIRMITI DEVLPOPERS
PARAS CONSTRACTION
PARTH DEVLOPERS
PATEL & SONS LABOUR SUPPLIERS
PGV SERVICES
PRACHI CONSTACTION
PURANIK BUILDERS
RAS SOLUTIONS
ROHAN BUILDERS & DEVLOPERS
RP CONSTRACTION
S S CONSTRACTION
SAI BALAJI BUILDERS
SAI MANFORCE
SAI PROVISO ENTERPRISES
SECURE INTEGRATED SERVICE
SHH CONSTRUCTION
SECURE SOLUTIONS ENTERPRISES
SANDESH TOURS AND TRAVELS
SHIVADNYA DEVELOPERS
SHREE SAI LABOUR SUPPLIERS
SHREES CONSTRUCTIONS
SK FACILITY SERVICES
SK LABOUR SUPPLIERS
SLS SERVICES
SPECTRA SERVICES
STAR LABOUR SERVICES
SV LOGISTICS
THE EVEREST ENTERPRISES
TRAVELS TIME SERVICES
VISHAL REALTORS ENTERPRISES
VK BUILDERS
VTP SOLUTIONS
The allegations against these establishments highlight the imperative for stringent oversight and accountability mechanisms to safeguard against fraudulent practices, especially during times of crisis.
In light of these developments, authorities urge vigilance and adherence to ethical business practices to uphold the integrity of relief schemes and ensure equitable distribution of resources to those in genuine need.
