Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana was launched on 12 November 2020 (Dhanteras) by central government. ABRY scheme aims to incentivise employers, registered with EPFO, for giving employment to new employees and re-employing persons from low wage bracket who lost their jobs earlier due to COVID-19. This is done by providing subsidy for 24 wage month in respect of eligible new employees from date of registration.
Incentives of both employees' and employer's EPF contribution i.e 24% of wages in r/o new employees in establishment employing upto 1000 employees and only employees EPF contribution i.e 12% in r/o new employees in establishments employing more than 1000 employees.
Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana was firstly announced as a part of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat 3.0 Package for creation of new employment opportunities during the COVID recovery phase. Central govt. then decided to provide subsidy for 2 years in respect of new eligible employees.
Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana was firstly announced as a part of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat 3.0 Package for creation of new employment opportunities during the COVID recovery phase. Central govt. then decided to provide subsidy for 2 years in respect of new eligible employees.
About Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana 2024
The ABRY Scheme stands commenced from 1st October 2020 and shall remain open for registration of eligible employers and new employees up to 30th June, 2021. The Central Government on 30.06.2021 approved for extension of last date of registration for eligible employers and new employees under the scheme from 30.06.2021 to 31.03.2022.The benefit shall be available for a period of twenty-four months from date of registration of new employee, not later than 31/03/2024 in any case.
Objectives of ABRY Scheme
Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana proposes to incentivize employers, registered with EPFO, for giving employment to new employees and re-employing persons from low wage bracket who lost their jobs during COVID-19 pandemic. The Central Government will pay both the employees' and employer's share of contribution payable under the EPF & MP Act, 1952 or only the employees' share, depending on the employment strength of the establishment, directly to the Universal Account Number of eligible employees maintained by the EPFO.Scale for Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojna
The Central Government will provide subsidy for twenty-four wage months in respect of eligible new employees at the following scale:-
- For Establishment employing upto 1000 employees - central govt. will pay both employees contribution of 12% of wages and employers contribution of 12% of wages which would total to 24% of wages. These establishments will however continue to get subsidy of employer’s share even if thenumber of contributing EPF members with UAN exceeds 1000 during the scheme period.
- Establishment employing more than 1000 employees - central govt. will pay only Employee' EPF's contribution which would be 12% of EPF wages.
Eligibility Criteria for Establishments
- Establishments already registered before the commencement of this Scheme shall have to employ, over and above the reference base, minimum two new employees (if the reference base of employee is less than or equal to 50) and minimum five new employees (if the reference base of employees is more than 50)
- Such already registered establishments must continue to employ minimum number of additional new employees with respect to the reference base of employees for availing assistance under this ABRY Scheme for any wage month.
- In addition to maintaining the minimum number of additional new employees, the already registered establishments must continue to retain the number of employees taken as reference base of employees for availing assistance under Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana for any wage month.
- For new establishment getting registered with EPFO between 01.10.2020 to 31.03.2022, the reference base of employees shall be treated as zero. If any such establishment registers voluntarily with less than 20 employees and continues to maintain less than 20 employees during the validity period of this Scheme, such establishment will not be allowed to exit from statutory Schemes under EPF & MP Act, 1952 and beneficiaries who received benefit shall not be allowed to make final withdrawals until expiry of a period of two years after validity period of this ABRY Scheme.
- Establishments working as contractors engaged in providing manpower to one or more principal employers shall not claim benefit of employers share under this ABRY scheme if the same is claimed or received from the principal employer. Any such amount of employer's share claimed under this shall be liable to be refunded to the Central Government.
- If any establishment being a single legal entity is making compliance under various code numbers obtained from EPFO, then for the purpose of counting the number of 50/1000 employees, wherever applicable for eligibility criteria under this scheme, all employees in the establishment as a whole shall be included.
Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana Eligibility Criteria for Employees
- New employee has to be registered for this ABRY Scheme during the period from 01.10.2020 to 31.03.2022 by employer of eligible establishment.
- The new employee should have Aadhaar seeded Universal Account Number.
- The benefit under this scheme shall be paid for the wage months in which he continues to be in employment in any eligible establishment subject to a period of maximum 24 months from date of registration as new employee.
- Any eligible new employee under this Scheme shall become ineligible if his/her monthly wage exceeds 14999 at any point of time during ABRY scheme period.
- It is clarified that if any new employee is already a registered beneficiary and his/her employer is eligible to or is availing benefits of payment of employer’s share by Central Government under PMRPY/PMPRPY 2016, no such benefit in respect of such new employee shall be available under this Scheme.
ABRY Scheme 2024 Registration Process
The Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana will be applicable for eligible new employees joining EPFO-registered establishments and for those who exited these establishments during the COVID pandemic. Beneficiary criteria for Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojna is as follows:-- New Employees joining employment in EPFO registered establishments on monthly wages less than Rs. 15,000 during validity period of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana.
- EPF members drawing monthly wage of less than Rs. 15,000 who made exit from employment during COVID pandemic from 1 March 2020 to 30 September 2020 and are employed on or after 1 October 2020.
- The subsidy support to get credited upfront in Aadhaar seeded EPFO Account (UAN) of eligible new employees.
Other important link - https://www.epfindia.gov.in/site_en/abry.php
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Central Government