Gangtok, 13 August 2026

A press conference was held today at the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Special State Office, Gangtok, wherein Shri Kesang Namtark Tenzing, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, briefed the media on the recently launched VISHWAS, 2026 scheme and the Employees’ Enrolment Campaign (EEC), 2026.

VISHWAS, 2026 is a one-time, six-month dispute-resolution initiative, effective from 29 June 2026, aimed at facilitating amicable settlement of disputes relating to damages/penalty under Section 14B of the EPF & MP Act, 1952. The scheme provides substantially reduced rates of damages for eligible defaults pertaining to the period prior to 14 June 2024—0.25% per month for defaults up to two months, 0.50% per month for defaults from two to less than four months, and 1% per month for defaults exceeding four months. (Press Information Bureau)

The Commissioner explained that VISHWAS, 2026 covers four categories of cases:

1. Cases where the 14B/penalty order is under litigation before a judicial forum;
2. Finalised 14B orders, including RRC cases, where recovery is pending or only partly made;
3. Pre-adjudication cases where notice has already been issued, but the final order is yet to be passed; and
4. Pre-adjudication cases where notice has not yet been issued. (Press Information Bureau)

Eligible employers were urged to make use of this one-time opportunity to resolve pending damages-related disputes, reduce litigation and regularise compliance. The scheme requires applicable Section 7Q interest to be fully remitted before submission of the application. (Press Information Bureau)

The Commissioner also briefed the media about the Employees’ Enrolment Campaign, 2026, which provides employers an opportunity to voluntarily declare and enrol eligible employees who were left outside EPF coverage during the specified eligibility period. The campaign commenced on 1 July 2026 and will remain open up to 31 October 2026, with the objective of bringing eligible left-out employees within the social-security framework and broadening EPF coverage. (CGE News - 8th Pay Commission)

During the press conference, the office also made public details of six establishments against which proceedings under Sections 14B and 7Q have been initiated, but communications/notices sent to their available addresses were returned undelivered due to unverifiable/untraceable addresses. The six establishments are:

1. Rangeet Associates Pvt. Ltd.
2. Premkit Lepcha
3. Sikkim Automotives Pvt. Ltd.
4. Himalayan Security Service
5. Lamu Dukpa Sharma
6. Karma Gelay Chungyalpa

Through the press conference, the office has provided an additional opportunity/public notice to the establishments concerned to approach the EPFO Special State Office, Gangtok, and place their submissions and relevant records before the competent authority before the proceedings are concluded ex parte.

The office has also urged eligible establishments in Sikkim to take advantage of VISHWAS, 2026 within the prescribed period and avail themselves of the opportunity for amicable settlement of eligible damages-related cases.

EPFO is also facilitating faster claim settlement through its Centralised IT-Enabled System (CITES). A majority of eligible claims are being processed through the system, with eligible claims targeted for settlement within three days. Advance claims up to ₹5 lakh can be auto-settled, while final settlement claims through Forms 19 and 10C and transfer claims through Form 13 are also enabled through the CITES system

EPFO Special State Office, Gangtok remains committed to promoting voluntary compliance, expanding social-security coverage and ensuring fair and transparent statutory proceedings.

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MPS/SK

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