PANJIM: The retrenched employees of Sesa Mining Company at Bicholim mining block on Friday marched on the company’s head office, Patto-Panjim office demanding immediate release of Provident Fund dues.
The workers were retrenched on June last year after Vedanta took over the company. They said their gratuity has been paid but Provident Fund payment was pending for a long time.
After staging protest for some time, the protestors became restive and tried to enter the building premises but were prevented by the police.
This is second time, the retrenched workers had marched to the company’s head office to demand their pending payment of Provident Fund.
Actively engaged to resolve claims: Company Later, the Vedanta Sesa Goa in a press statement, said that the Sesa Mining Corporation Ltd is actively engaging with Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), Government of India, for an early release of the worker’s dues.
Pointing out that the EPFO has its mandated processes to follow with associated timelines, the company urged the EPFO to expedite the resolution of PF dues.
The application for withdrawal of Provident Fund were submitted by workers on November 1, 2023 and the Sesa Mining Corporation Ltd has since been actively engaging with Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Government of India, for an early release of the worker’s dues.
“We have had three meetings with Regional Provident Fund Commissioner at EPFO and have submitted our application in a timely manner. Our expeditious and rigorous follow up has been acknowledged by EPFO and the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner conveyed the same to the Ex-SMCL Workers’ Representatives along with Vedanta Sesa Goa officials in a meeting held on December 8, 2023,” the company said.
The EPFO has its mandated processes to follow with associated timelines. Vedanta Sesa Goa has accomplished all preliminary actions in quick time and now the process is awaiting clearance from EPFO and there is no delay on our part, it further said.
“We have been continuously engaging, transparently, with ex-SMCL workers and extending our full support to them,” the company added.
We are committed to ensuring an early resolution and have left no stone unturned to support our workers. We would continue to request the EPFO to expedite the resolution of Provident Fund dues, the company added.
