EPFO launched a special facility for attaining the online receipt of Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) since April 2012 where March was paid in April. The employers are simply required to make a registration of their establishments on the portal by creating a unique user ID as well as a secured password in the portal, to avail the facility.
Advantages of Using The ESEWA Portal for Employers
This facility has tremendous potential and the EPF e-Sewa benefits include:
- Employers have the option of no paper return that needs preparation and submission to EPFO.
- There is no requirement anymore for submitting other returns viz Form 5/10/12A,3A and 6A.
- Once the payment is made, the employers will be immediately notified for the confirmation of payment via SMS.
- The EPF contribution would be hence credited to all the member’s account month wise.
- The annual accounts slips are available for viewing for the year 2011 to 2012 online and so on.
- A request can be sent by the employers for the annual slips, through the portal, for availing account slips prior 2011.
How to Use the ESEWA Facility
Kindly follow the steps enlisted to register and use the EPF e-Sewa facility at your convenience:
- Use the following URL to avail the ESEWA facilty: http://esewa.epfoservices.in/
- Register your establishment at EPFO website.
- The portal will provide you with a system generated username and password sent to your mobile, temporarily.
- When you log in for the first time with the given temporary username and password, you need to create a permanent User Id as well as a new password to login and enjoy all the facilities through the ESEWA portal.
Steps to Download E-return Tool
- Log in to the website, www.epfindia.com and click on ‘E-return Tool for Employers’. It is advisable to read the installation instructions, as well.
- For a fresh installation, download the software ‘A-L’ and for upgrading an older version, download ‘E&F’.
- Install the software and enter employee details, such as wages and contribution to EPF.
- Using the module ‘Generate Returns for Submission to EPFO’ and ‘Electronic Challan Cum Return Form (ECR)’, generate the text file for the same.
How ECR Works
The preconditions for generating the challan are as follows:
- The employer should have already registered the establishment on the Employer e-Sewa portal.
- The employer has already downloaded the ECR file format and prepared the ECR text file.
- The employer has gone through the FAQs on the website to get a clear idea of the process flow.
The challan is generated through the following steps:
- Log in to the e-Sewa portal.
- Upload the generated ECR by choosing the option ‘ECR Upload’ under the ‘ECR’ module. You should ensure that the ECR is being uploaded for the correct month and year.
- A Summary page appears if the text file was uploaded correctly. On this Summary sheet, enter the ‘Total EDLI Contribution’, ‘Total EPF Administrative/Inspection Charges’, and ‘Total EDLI Administrative/Inspection Charges’. Also update the ‘Contribution Rate’ accurately. By default, this value is 12%, but if applicable to your organisation, you may change it to 10% as well. Submit the ECR.
- A PDF file that is digitally signed will appear on the screen. If the number of members in the file is above 200, you will have to wait for an SMS alert to view or download this file. You should validate the data in this PDF file with the ECR text file that you uploaded.
- After the accuracy of the file is validated, you need to approve the PDF file in order to generate the challan online. Click on the ‘Approve’ button for the same.
- Once the ECR file is approved, a Temporary Return Reference Number (TRRN) will be generated for the uploaded file. The next screen displays the Challan Receipt File and Acknowledgement Slip corresponding to this ECR.
- Click on the Challan Receipt File to download.
- Print the challan with the TRRN number and manually update the details under the section ‘For establishment use only’.
- Make the payment along with the challan to State Bank of India, either through the online portal of SBI or through a cheque/demand draft submitted at a designated branch of the bank.
- Once the cheque is realised, you will receive an alert in the form of an SMS. This completes the ECR filing process for the month.
UAN Member e-Sewa for Android
The EPF UAN Member e-Sewa Helpdesk is available for download on phones with Android version 2.3 and above. The application solves all problems related to the Universal Account Number (UAN). The key features of this product are highlighted below:
- The application enables you to get the EPF UAN Registration (number) online instantly.
- It also enables you to activate your UAN.
- You can check the status of the UAN, as well.
- The application allows you to download your EPF e-Passbook.
- You can check the balance in your Provident Fund.
- The app also provides KYC facility.
- The product is easy to navigate and use.
- You can check your claim status, email address, and mobile number.
- It is possible to link all your provident fund accounts through this application.
- The app also has an Online Claim Transfer Portal (OCTP).