Hindi English Translation || Editorial || No hard ceilings: On the revision to EPFO wage ceiling

No hard ceilings: On the revision to EPFO wage ceiling

A rise in minimum (न्यूनतम, सबसे कम) PF (भविष्य निधि, सेवानिवृत्ति निधि) pension will protect the worse-off (वंचित लोग) among (के बीच, में) the retired (सेवानिवृत्त लोग, पेंशनभोगी)

The Union Cabinet’s approval (मंजूरी, स्वीकृति) to raise the wage ceiling (वेतन सीमा) for mandatory coverage under the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) (कर्मचारी भविष्य निधि संगठन) from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000, though belated, is commendable. The BJP-led government has finally responded to this long-standing (लंबे समय से चली आ रही, पुरानी) demand (माँग, अनुरोध) of workers in the organised sector (संगठित क्षेत्र). Around (approximately; roughly, about, circa, nearly) 51 lakh additional employees may be brought under the PF fold (a group, system or framework under a common organisation, rule or umbrella; group, community, framework, umbrella), which has around 7.98 crore contributing (making regular payments or contributions to a fund or scheme; paying, subscribing, donating, participating) members. Those in the wage ( मजदूरी, वेतन) slab of ₹15,000-₹25,000 will now be covered (to include or protect someone within a social security scheme (such as a provident fund, pension or insurance scheme); include, protect, encompass, provide for) under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) (कर्मचारी पेंशन योजना), 2026. Although (in spite of the fact that; even though, though, despite the fact that, albeit) Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya cited (to refer to something as a reason or proof; quote, mention, point to, refer to) a government survey as the basis for the increase, the 12-year delay in implementing it should have been avoided. The Minister, who said that the average salary in private establishments was ₹23,000, should also make the survey’s findings public for a better understanding (comprehension, grasp, insight, awareness, perception) of the country’s overall (taking everything into account; general, comprehensive, total, complete) wage situation. With some concerns (worry, apprehension, reservation, doubt, misgiving) having been raised that not every employer may be willing (ready, eager, or prepared to do something; ready, agreeable, compliant, amenable) to make the additional contributions (a payment made to a common fund, such as a pension scheme; payment, subscription, input, donation) required after the revision, the government must ensure that all employers comply with (to act in accordance with a wish, command, or rule; adhere to, abide by, observe, follow) the law.

So far (up to this point in time; until now, up to now, hitherto, thus far), the government has been silent (unresponsive, quiet, mute, reticent) on revising the EPS minimum pension (the guaranteed lowest pension amount payable under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS)) of ₹1,000, fixed in September 2014 alongside the previous revision in the PF wage ceiling. EPFO pensioners have been demanding the hike in the minimum pension amount. Before it assumed (take up or take on a position or office; take office, take charge, enter office, begin a tenure) office at the Centre (the Union government of India, especially when contrasted with State governments; Union government, Central Government) in 2014, the BJP had urged (to advise or try hard to persuade somebody to do something; encourage, push, entreat, implore) the Congress-led UPA government to keep (maintain, retain, preserve, sustain) the minimum pension at ₹3,000 and index (link an amount or payment to an economic indicator (inflation) so that it changes accordingly/automatically; link, adjust, tie, peg) it to inflation (a general rise in prices that reduces the purchasing power of money; price rise, rising prices, price inflation, cost increase). Yet (but, however, nevertheless, still), it has not made even (indeed, actually, surprisingly) a symbolic (representative, token, nominal, figurative) beginning (start, commencement, initiation, onset) towards the indexation of pension to inflation. Moreover, about 45% of the nearly 82 lakh pensioners receive ₹1,000 or less. In March 2026, the Joint Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour reminded the government that “the existing (current, present) minimum pension amount is inadequate (insufficient, deficient, scarce, meager) to meet (to fulfill or satisfy a need or requirement; fulfill, satisfy, answer, match) even the basic needs (an absolute minimum requirement for human survival; essential requirement, fundamental necessity) of pensioners particularly (especially, specifically, notably, exceptionally) in the ... scenario (situation, context, circumstance, condition) marked by ... rising (increasing, growing, soaring, climbing) healthcare and living expenses”. Also, little is known about the follow-up to the panel’s recommendation for “an urgent and comprehensive review (thorough examination, complete assessment, extensive analysis, detailed evaluation) of the minimum pension”. The EPFO must release (publish, issue, make public, unveil) the findings of actuarial assessment (a statistical calculation of risks and funds, often used in insurance and pension schemes; financial valuation, statistical risk analysis, risk calculation, actuarial valuation), made by valuers (appraiser, assessor, estimator, evaluator) in recent years. This should also be beneficial to the PF body (organization, institution, association, establishment), as EPFO CEO Ramesh Krishnamurthi observed (remark, note, mention, state) in an interview with The Hindu in August that “there is a misconception (misunderstanding, fallacy, delusion, misinterpretation) that the [pension] fund has unlimited resources (an endless supply of money, materials, or assets; infinite funds, boundless wealth, inexhaustible supply, endless capital)”, while ruling out the reopening (restarting, reactivation, resumption, renewal) of the window (a brief opportunity for doing something; opportunity, opening, chance, timeframe)  for higher pensions. Even if the government is unwilling (not ready, eager, or prepared to do something; reluctant, hesitant, resistant, unenthusiastic) to restore (reinstate, bring back, reestablish, return) the pre-2014 coverage, under which all employees were covered regardless of (despite, notwithstanding, irrespective of, in spite of) their wages, it should consider relaxation (the easing of a rule, restriction, or penalty; easing, loosening, moderation, mitigation) of the restriction (limitation, constraint, curb, check) on the coverage. Else (if not, or otherwise; otherwise, if not, or else, alternatively), many pensioners will be pushed below the poverty line (an economic benchmark used to identify individuals or households whose income or consumption is below the level considered necessary to meet basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.hard (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - कठोर, सख्त
English Meaning - fixed, rigid, unyielding, or definitive; rigid, firm, strict.

2.Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कर्मचारी भविष्य निधि संगठन
English Meaning - a statutory body established in 1952 under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, responsible for the regulation and management of provident funds, pension schemes and insurance schemes for the organised sector workforce in India.

3.wage ceiling (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वेतन सीमा
English Meaning - the maximum limit on wages or salaries considered for calculating contributions to social security schemes (such as provident fund and pension schemes); wage (upper) limit, maximum wage, pay limit, salary cap, earnings cap.

4.among (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - के बीच, में
English Meaning - in the group, class, or category of; amid, included in, within.

5.Provident Fund (PF) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भविष्य निधि, सेवानिवृत्ति निधि
English Meaning - a defined-contribution retirement savings scheme under which employees and employers make their mandated contributions to build provident-fund savings for employees; retirement fund.

6.minimum (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - न्यूनतम, सबसे कम
English Meaning - lowest, baseline, minimal, base, least.

7.Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कर्मचारी पेंशन योजना
English Meaning - a statutory social security pension scheme introduced in 1995 under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, and administered by the EPFO to provide pension benefits, including superannuation, early, disablement and family pensions, to eligible members and their families.

8.the worse-off (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वंचित लोग
English Meaning - people who are in a less advantageous or more difficult position; disadvantaged people, impoverished people, underprivileged people, poorer people.

9.wage (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मजदूरी, वेतन
English Meaning - a fixed regular payment earned for work or services; salary, pay, remuneration, earnings.

10.the retired (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सेवानिवृत्त लोग, पेंशनभोगी
English Meaning - retired people, retirees, pensioners, pension recipients, senior citizens.

11.approval (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मंजूरी, स्वीकृति
English Meaning - consent, assent, permission, endorsement.

12.long-standing (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - लंबे समय से चली आ रही, पुरानी
English Meaning - persistent, prolonged, well-established, long-lasting, enduring, deep-rooted.

13.demand (noun)

Hindi Meaning - माँग, अनुरोध
English Meaning - request, appeal, plea, claim.

14.organised sector (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संगठित क्षेत्र
English Meaning - the sector consisting of incorporated enterprises that are registered with the government and follow formal rules; formal sector, regulated sector, structured economy, registered businesses.

15.unorganised sector (noun)

Hindi Meaning - असंगठित क्षेत्र
English Meaning - the part of the economy consisting of small, unregistered enterprises and informal workers; informal economy, unregulated sector, casual labor market, unorganized workforce.

16.fold (noun)

English Meaning - a group, system or framework under a common organisation, rule or umbrella; group, community, framework, umbrella.

17.around (adverb)

English Meaning - approximately; roughly, about, circa, nearly.

18.ceiling (noun)

English Meaning - an upper limit, cap, or maximum restriction set on something; upper limit, cap, restriction.

19.hard ceiling (noun)

English Meaning - a strict upper limit that cannot be exceeded; fixed cap, strict limit, absolute maximum, maximum/upper limit.

20.Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) (noun)

English Meaning - a statutory retirement savings scheme under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, under which eligible employees and employers make prescribed contributions to build provident-fund savings for retirement.

21.worse-off (adjective)

English Meaning - in a less advantageous or more difficult position; disadvantaged, impoverished, underprivileged, deprived.

22.bring under (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to include someone or something within a particular category, scheme, or system; encompass, subsume, include, cover, incorporate.

23.PF fold (phrase)

English Meaning - the provident-fund system or framework within which people are covered; PF system, PF framework, PF scheme, provident-fund ambit.

24.contributing (adjective)

English Meaning - making regular payments or contributions to a fund or scheme; paying, subscribing, donating, participating.

25.wage slab (noun)

English Meaning - a specific range or bracket of income for administrative purposes; pay bracket, income range, salary level, pay scale.

26.cover (verb)

English Meaning - to include or protect someone within a social security scheme (such as a provident fund, pension or insurance scheme); include, protect, encompass, provide for.

27.Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) , 2026 (noun)

English Meaning - a statutory pension scheme notified by the Central Government under the Code on Social Security, 2020, and administered by the EPFO to provide pension benefits to eligible employees and their families; it supersedes the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 and the Employees’ Family Pension Scheme, 1971.

28.Code on Social Security, 2020 (noun)

English Meaning - a legislation enacted by the Government of India to amend and consolidate laws relating to social security, with the goal of extending social security coverage to employees and workers in the organised, unorganised and other sectors.

29.although (conjunction)

English Meaning - in spite of the fact that; even though, though, despite the fact that, albeit.

30.cite (verb)

English Meaning - to refer to something as a reason or proof; quote, mention, point to, refer to.

31.make public (phrase)

English Meaning - to disclose, announce or publish something so that it becomes available or known to the general public; disclose, reveal, announce, publish

32.understanding (noun)

English Meaning - comprehension, grasp, insight, awareness, perception.

33.overall (adjective)

English Meaning - taking everything into account; general, comprehensive, total, complete.

34.concern (noun)

English Meaning - worry, apprehension, reservation, doubt, misgiving.

35.willing (adjective)

English Meaning - ready, eager, or prepared to do something; ready, agreeable, compliant, amenable.

36.contribution (noun)

English Meaning - a payment made to a common fund, such as a pension scheme; payment, subscription, input, donation.

37.comply with (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to act in accordance with a wish, command, or rule; adhere to, abide by, observe, follow.

38.so far (phrase)

English Meaning - up to this point in time; until now, up to now, hitherto, thus far.

39.silent (adjective)

English Meaning - unresponsive, quiet, mute, reticent.

40.EPS minimum pension (noun)

English Meaning - the guaranteed lowest pension amount payable under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS).

41.assume (verb)

English Meaning - take up or take on a position or office; take office, take charge, enter office, begin a tenure.

42.Centre (noun)

English Meaning - the Union government of India, especially when contrasted with State governments; Union government, Central Government.

43.urge (verb)

English Meaning - to advise or try hard to persuade somebody to do something; encourage, push, entreat, implore.

44.keep (verb)

English Meaning - maintain, retain, preserve, sustain.

45.index (verb)

English Meaning - link an amount or payment to an economic indicator (inflation) so that it changes accordingly/automatically; link, adjust, tie, peg.

46.inflation (noun)

English Meaning - a general rise in prices that reduces the purchasing power of money; price rise, rising prices, price inflation, cost increase.

47.yet (conjunction)

English Meaning - but, however, nevertheless, still.

48.even (adverb)

English Meaning - indeed, actually, surprisingly.

49.symbolic (adjective)

English Meaning - representative, token, nominal, figurative.

50.beginning (noun)

English Meaning - start, commencement, initiation, onset.

51.Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) (noun)

English Meaning - an ad hoc parliamentary committee comprising members of both Houses, constituted to examine and report on a specific Bill or other matter referred to it. It ceases to function after completing the specific task assigned to it, including submitting its report.

52.Parliamentary Select Committee (noun)

English Meaning - an ad hoc committee of a single House constituted to examine a particular Bill in detail and submit a report to that House. Once the Bill is reported on, the committee ceases to function.

53.existing (adjective)

English Meaning - current, present.

54.inadequate (adjective)

English Meaning - insufficient, deficient, scarce, meager.

55.meet (verb)

English Meaning - to fulfill or satisfy a need or requirement; fulfill, satisfy, answer, match.

56.basic need (noun)

English Meaning - an absolute minimum requirement for human survival; essential requirement, fundamental necessity.

57.particularly (adverb)

English Meaning - especially, specifically, notably, exceptionally.

58.scenario (noun)

English Meaning - situation, context, circumstance, condition.

59.be marked by (phrase)

English Meaning - to be characterized or distinguished by a particular feature; characterize by, distinguish by, indicate by, identify by.

60.rising (adjective)

English Meaning - increasing, growing, soaring, climbing.

61.comprehensive review (noun)

English Meaning - thorough examination, complete assessment, extensive analysis, detailed evaluation.

62.release (verb)

English Meaning - publish, issue, make public, unveil.

63.actuarial (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to statistical calculations of risk, life expectancy, and financial liabilities; risk-evaluating.

64.actuarial assessment (noun)

English Meaning - a statistical calculation of risks and funds, often used in insurance and pension schemes; financial valuation, statistical risk analysis, risk calculation, actuarial valuation.

65.valuer (noun)

English Meaning - appraiser, assessor, estimator, evaluator.

66.body (noun)

English Meaning - organization, institution, association, establishment.

67.observe (verb)

English Meaning - remark, note, mention, state.

68.misconception (noun)

English Meaning - misunderstanding, fallacy, delusion, misinterpretation.

69.pension fund (noun)

English Meaning - a pooled fund accumulated through employer and/or employee contributions and invested to finance pension benefits for eligible employees, usually after retirement; retirement fund, pension reserve, retirement savings fund, superannuation fund.

70.unlimited resource (noun)

English Meaning - an endless supply of money, materials, or assets; infinite funds, boundless wealth, inexhaustible supply, endless capital.

71.rule out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to exclude someone or something as a possibility; eliminate, reject, dismiss, preclude.

72.reopening (noun)

English Meaning - restarting, reactivation, resumption, renewal.

73.window (noun)

English Meaning - a brief opportunity for doing something; opportunity, opening, chance, timeframe.

74.unwilling (adjective)

English Meaning - not ready, eager, or prepared to do something; reluctant, hesitant, resistant, unenthusiastic.

75.restore (verb)

English Meaning - reinstate, bring back, reestablish, return.

76.regardless of (phrase)

English Meaning - despite, notwithstanding, irrespective of, in spite of.

77.relaxation (noun)

English Meaning - the easing of a rule, restriction, or penalty; easing, loosening, moderation, mitigation.

78.restriction (noun)

English Meaning - limitation, constraint, curb, check.

79.else (adverb)

English Meaning - if not, or otherwise; otherwise, if not, or else, alternatively.

80.Below the Poverty Line (BPL) (noun)

English Meaning - an economic benchmark used to identify individuals or households whose income or consumption is below the level considered necessary to meet basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter.