Meeting of various associations of Ludhiana met Union Minister Som Parkash

Ludhiana, June 23, 2019: A meeting of various associations of Ludhiana met Sh.Som Parkash the Union Minister of State for commerce & industries.
The meeting was arranged by Shri Gurdev Sharma Debi the cashier of State BJP.
Besides, Badish Jindal president FOPSIA, Mr.Tarun Bawa Jain President Bahadurke Road Knitters and Textile association and Shri Ajit Lakra of Federation of Textile and Knitters association also met the minister.
The delegation raised the issue of complications in Employees Provident Fund Procedures. The delegation appraised as under :
Due to poverty the employees are reluctant to get their share deducted for depositing the same to their EPF account. This is the reason that they prefer to work in such organizations where the employers don’t deduct their contribution.
For this either the employers are forced to deposit the Employees share from their own pocket or they hide the number of such employees those are not interested to contribute their share.
This is the reason that social security compliance ratio in India is very low as compared to other countries
In such condition the social security cover of employee remains uncovered as they also misses the Employers share of contribution.
Therefore it is preyed that some mechanism requires being form in EPF, where the employers should not be made liable for depositing the Employees contribution. This will give the following benefits:
• More coverage of EPF will help in providing wider social security network.
• The Employees if requires may have more money in their hand.
• Will decrease employer’s liability to deduct employee’s contribution.
We also request that every year with the increase in minimum wages the contribution amount of employer increases so the government must reduce EPF from 12% to 8%, this will reduce the burden of entrepreneurs and will help in more coverage of employees.
The minister assured to convene a meeting with the labour ministry to discuss all these issues
Further the delegation raised the issue of Chinese and cheap imports to India which was concerned with their own ministry and appraised as under :
During 2018-19 the exports from China to India were around 4.92 Lakh Crores and at the similar time the exports to China were merely 1.17 Lakh Crores.
Most of the imports from China are coming under invoicing and through SAFTA & ASEAN Countries to save the custom duties, So it is estimated that the total Imports from China must be more than 7 Lakh Crores.
Electrical & Machinery : 1,84,789 Crores
Garment sector (yarn and made ups) we are importing around 16500 CRORES
Plastic Parts : 15250 crores
Leather Goods & Footwear : 5255 crores
Iron & Steel ; 19950 crores
Toys ; 3147 crores
Organic Chemicals : 45691 Corores
PULP & Paper products: 3934 crores
Ceramic & Glassware : 5898 Coroes
Furniture : 7737 crores
If government impose restrictions on these items then such items can be easily manufactured in India. This will provide a huge employment and will save very precious forex.
Whereas we are exporting ores of Rs 36500 crores and other very important raw materials such as cotton to China.
So there is a dire need to check the trade policy with China and also there is dire need to keep a close watch on imports from SAFTA & ASEAN countries.

The minister assured to hold urgent meeting in this regard with concerned officers in his presence.