An Amnesty Scheme to be launched from next month:Raja Ashfaq Sarwar

Lahore: Provincial Minister for Labour and Human Resource Raja Ashfaq Sarwar has said that Chief Minister has approved an Amnesty Scheme to be launched from next month, recommended by Labour Department for industrial, commercial and trade sector for its new registration with Punjab Employees Social Security Institute (PESSI) so as to enhance social security contribution by waving of all past dues.

He disclosed this in the 126-Governing Body meeting of PESSI in which Secretary Labour Farhan Aziz Khawaja, Secretary Industries Ali Sarfraz, Commissioner PESSI Ishrat Ali, Director Finance and other members of GB from employers and employees also participated.

Raja Ashfaq Sarwar while giving details of the forthcoming Amnesty scheme said that the main purpose of this initiative is to eliminate corruption at all levels by restoring faith of industrial as well as trade sector to renew registration of functional units for which officers from the institute will regularly visit all the chambers, labour as well as employers’ federations, bodies, unions and industry to make all the stakeholders aware of this step taken by Punjab government, giving them a chance to wave of their long pending arrears of contribution and register their units and workers with a fresh start. Seminars, workshops and a media campaign will also be conducted in this regard, he added. Strict action will be taken against those who would not register themselves after given fixed period, he further stated. PESSI achieved an income of more than eight billion, 12 crore rupees in last financial year through social security contribution, profit by investments, advance recoveries, IPPs and other sources while proposed target income for next fiscal year 2014-15 is around more than nine billion, 73 crore rupees.

The meeting was also informed that budget of PESSI was Rs.729.440 million last year while proposed budget of this year is Rs.292.504 million whereas PESSI was taking all out efforts to remove these budget deficits. A PESSI Pension Fund Trust has also been established which will help out to safeguard pensioners’ future along with extra saving of an amount of Rs.500 million along with enhancement of investments. The meeting also reviewed the matters of training programmes, purchase of ambulances, anti-cancer medicines and interferon, safety measures of social security hospitals as well.