Agriculture university directed to deposit Labours PF

Aurangabad, Oct 21:

Regional Employees Provident Fund Commissioner Jagdish Tambe directed Parbhani-based Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agriculture University (VNMAU) to deposit provident fund of daily wage, temporary, seasonal employees and labours.

All the employees' provident fund norms were made applicable for the university since August 1, 1982.

The university failed to deposit PF. So, a notice was issued to the university on September 7, 1994, for pending deposit. The case reached Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court (HC). Following the directives of HC, a hearing was held in the PF office again. The hearing continued for 15 years. The university’s lawyer claimed the provisions in the Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 were not applicable to it.

After hearing arguments of the PF Department, Agriculture University and Employees unions, PF Commissioner gave the above orders. Enforcement officer Sudhir R Wankhede appeared for the PF Department.