About this skills scheme
The scheme aims to provide institutionalized social security cover, including provident funds, pensions, and life insurance. It provides monthly pensions, provident fund advances, and lump-sum death benefits to tea plantation workers in Assam and their dependent families.
The scheme "Social Security for Tea Plantation Workers in Assam" was launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India. The scheme aims to provide institutionalized social security cover, including provident funds, pensions, and deposit-linked insurance, to the tea garden workers and employees working in the state of Assam. The scheme provides provident fund advances, monthly family pensions, and one-time life assurance benefits. The applicant must be an employee of a tea plantation or a tea factory receiving a monthly salary up to Rs. 15,000/- per month or a daily wage worker. The scheme is implemented by the Assam Tea Employees Provident Fund Organization.
Benefits at a glance
| Scheme name | Social Security for Tea Plantation Workers in Assam (SSTPWA) |
|---|---|
| Launched by | Ministry Of Labour and Employment |
| Benefit type | Cash (money paid to your bank account) |
| Category | Skills |
| Level / State | Central · Assam |
| Official portal | atepfo.in (see References at the end) |
Key facts
| Scheme type | Central Sector Scheme |
|---|---|
| Scheme for | Individual |
| Application mode | Online |
| Last date | Not given in the official listing |
| DBT (direct bank transfer) | No |
| Age | 18 to 60 years |
Who can apply (quick check)
- 👤All genders
- 🎂Age 18 to 60 years
- 📝Online
Quick check from official data. Full conditions are in the Eligibility section.
What you receive
Assam Tea Plantations Provident Fund Scheme
- Provident Fund advances provided on grounds such as marriage, death ceremonies, medical treatment, higher/technical education, economic hardships, and house building.
- Settlement of a member's Provident Fund account upon retirement, termination, or cessation of employment.
Pension Scheme
- Full pensionary benefit paid after retirement at the age of 58 years, provided the member has a minimum period of service of 10 years.
- In the event of cessation of membership after 50 years and before 58 years, pension benefits are paid as per a prescribed schedule.
- Family Pension-cum-Life Assurance Scheme:
- A lump-sum one-time benefit of Rs. 2,000/- is immediately paid on the death of the tea plantation worker.
- A minimum monthly family pension of Rs. 1,000/- per month is provided.
- A maximum monthly family pension of Rs. 1,500/- per month is provided, depending on the Provident Fund balance of the member on the date of death.
- Timely disbursement of Family Pension claims is done within 7 days.
Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme
- A one-time monetary assurance benefit is paid to the nominee in the event of the death of an employee who was a member of the Provident Fund Scheme.
- A minimum assurance benefit of Rs. 1,00,000/- (previously Rs. 50,000/-) is provided to the nominee.
- A maximum assurance benefit of Rs. 2,00,000/- (previously Rs. 1,00,000/-) is provided to the nominee, equal to the amount of balance in the deceased member's Provident Fund account.
- Timely disbursement of Deposit Linked Insurance claims is done within 7 days.
Conditions
- The employee must contribute 12% of their wages, which includes dearness allowances, value of food concessions, and amounts received for plucking tea leaves.
- The employer must contribute at the same 12% rate.
- The employer is mandated to deduct the contributions from the employee and deposit the collected amount along with their own share into the Board's Account within 30 days.
- If an employer fails to deposit the contribution within the prescribed time, a loss of interest at 15% per annum is charged on the employer for the defaulting period.
- For the Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, contributions are made by the Tea Garden Management at 0.50% and the Government of India at 0.25% of the gross annual wages.
- For the Family Pension-cum-Life Assurance Scheme, the Government of India contributes 1 1/6% of the gross annual wages of a tea plantation worker.
Who qualifies
- The applicant must be an employee of a plantation or a tea factory in the state of Assam.
- The applicant must be receiving a monthly salary up to Rs. 15,000/- per month, or be a daily-wage worker.
- For full pensionary benefits, the member must retire at the age of 58 years with a minimum period of service of 10 years.
- For the Family Pension-cum-Life Assurance Scheme and the Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, the member must expire while in service.
- For the Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, the deceased employee must have a minimum Provident Fund balance of Rs. 1,000/- at credit on the date of death.
Who is not eligible
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Registration walkthrough
Online
Step 1: Accessing the e-Portal
The employer or organization official must begin the process by accessing the official portal of ATEPFO. This portal acts as the centralized dashboard for all statutory submissions and online claims.
Step 2: Employer and Member Registration
The employer must navigate to the "Registration" section on the portal to execute "Employer Registration" for their tea garden or factory. Following this, the employer must perform "Member Registration" for all eligible employees and daily wage workers from the very first day of their employment.
Step 3: Contribution Deduction and Deposit
The employer must actively deduct 12% of the employees' wages and match the contribution with their own 12% share. The employer then logs into the "Employers Login" section and utilizes the "Quick Pay (Dues)" facility to deposit the funds into the Board's account within the mandatory 30-day window.
Step 4: Claim Submission by Officials
When a member requires an advance, reaches retirement, or in the event of a worker's death, the designated ATEPFO Officials log in directly from the tea gardens. They navigate to specific sections ("Provident Fund Login", "PENSION Login", "Deposit Linked Insurance Login") to process and submit the statutory claim forms.
Status Tracking
The submitted claims and complaint registrations are processed live on the portal. Members can monitor the progress of their claims, payments, and complaints directly through the "Claim Status Check" facility, the "e-Passbook", or via the integrated SMS Gateway.
Benefit Disbursal
Upon successful verification, benefits such as family pensions or insurance assurances are disbursed to the beneficiary within 7 days.
Grievance Redressal / Help & Support
Applicants and members can utilize the "Register a Complaint" and "Complaint Status" modules directly on the e-Portal. For further assistance, the official contact number is 0361-2300108, and the support email address is atppf@live.com.
Frequently asked questions
I am currently employed in a tea factory and I want to know the maximum monthly salary I can earn to still qualify for these workplace benefits?
You must be receiving a monthly salary of up to Rs. 15,000/- or be working as a daily wage earner to qualify.
What are the specific age and service duration requirements I need to fulfill in order to receive my full retirement pensionary benefits when I stop working?
You are entitled to full pensionary benefits if you retire at the age of 58 years and have completed a minimum of 10 years of service.
In the unfortunate event that I pass away while I am still actively employed, is there any immediate one-time financial assistance provided to my surviving family members?
Yes, a lump-sum one-time benefit of Rs. 2,000/- is immediately paid to your family upon your death.
If I happen to expire during my service years, what is the exact range of the regular monthly financial support that my surviving spouse or children will receive?
Your eligible family members will receive a monthly family pension ranging from a minimum of Rs. 1,000/- to a maximum of Rs. 1,500/-, depending on your Provident Fund balance at the time of your death.
Are there any specific personal emergencies or life events for which I am allowed to withdraw some money from my accumulated savings before my actual retirement?
You can take advances for specific grounds such as marriage, death ceremonies, medical treatment, higher or technical education, economic hardships, and house building.
How much money will be deducted from my regular earnings every month to build up my savings, and what does this calculation include?
You must contribute 12% of your wages, which includes your dearness allowances, the value of food concessions, and any amounts received for plucking tea leaves.
What happens if the management of my tea estate fails to deposit their required matching financial share into my account within the mandatory thirty-day time limit?
If your employer fails to deposit the contribution within the prescribed time, a loss of interest at 15% per annum is charged on them for the defaulting period.
For my designated nominee to receive the one-time monetary assurance benefit if I die in service, is there a minimum balance I must maintain in my savings account?
Yes, you must have a minimum balance of Rs. 1,000/- at credit in your Provident Fund account on the date of your death for your nominee to be eligible.
If I meet the minimum balance criteria and pass away while working, how is the exact amount of the one-time assurance benefit calculated for my nominee?
Your nominee will receive an amount equal to the balance in your Provident Fund account, subject to a minimum of Rs. 1,00,000/- and a maximum of Rs. 2,00,000/-.
If my spouse is no longer alive, up to what specific age will my surviving children continue to receive the regular monthly financial support after my death?
The benefit continues until the age of 18 years for a son, and until the age of 21 years for an unmarried daughter.
What happens to my post-retirement financial benefits if my membership ceases after I turn fifty years old but before I reach the standard retirement age of fifty-eight?
In the event of cessation of membership between the ages of 50 and 58 years, your pension benefits will be paid according to a prescribed schedule.
As a newly hired daily wage worker in the plantation, how soon after my joining date do I become eligible to start receiving the provident fund benefits?
You are eligible to become a member and are entitled to the Provident Fund benefits from the very first day of your work.
Is there a minimum number of years I need to be a member before my family becomes eligible to claim the regular monthly survivor's pension if I die?
Yes, your family is eligible for the pension subject to your completion of at least one year of membership in the Provident Fund.
After my family successfully submits all the required statutory claim forms following my death, what is the expected maximum timeframe for the authorities to disburse the financial benefits?
Upon successful verification, benefits such as family pensions or deposit-linked insurance claims are disbursed to the beneficiary within 7 days.
References and official sources
Apply only on the official portal. Nothing is applied for on this site, and applying is free.
- Details Of The Scheme (Page No. 29) (PDF) labour.gov.in
- DMEO Output-Outcome Monitoring Framework (Page No. 4) (PDF) dmeo.gov.in
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