EPFO's investment in ETFs at Rs Rs 86,966 cr till Sept

Retirement fund body EPFO has invested Rs 86,966 crore in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) till September 2019, Parliament was informed on Monday.

The EPFO has been investing in ETFs since August 2015. Initially, the body decided to invest 5 percent of its investible deposits into stock markets. Later, the proportion was increased to 10 percent in 2016-17 and 15 percent in 2017-18 and onwards.

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is investing in ETFs based on Nifty 50, Sensex, Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and Bharat 22 Indices.

"The total amount invested by EPFO in ETFs as on September 30, 2019, is Rs 86,966 crore. The Central Board of Trustees (CBT), Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) in its 207th meeting held on March 31, 2015, decided to invest only in ETFs in the category of equity and related investments," Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

The minister told the House that the EPFO does not invest in shares and equities of individual companies.

The Employees’ Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions (EPF & MP) Act, 1952 is applicable to every establishment employing 20 or more persons.

In order to extend social security benefits to all eligible workers in the country, continuous efforts are made to bring the coverable establishments under the EPF & MP Act, 1952 and also for bringing the eligible employees under the umbrella of schemes under the Act.

The minister told the House that as on March 31, 2019, 197 industries/classes of establishments are notified for coverage which has brought 4.69 crore contributory members within the ambit of EPFO.