SMART CARDS SCHEME LAUNCHED FOR COAL MINERS

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The Coal Minister Shri Kariya Munda launched Smart Card Scheme for coal miners here today. Instituted by Coal Mines Provident Fund Organization (CMPFO) the Card enables an employee to examine his Provident Fund account without taking any trouble to visit the CMPFO office. He can also view his pension status lodge grievance and make enquiry at his own convenience by inserting his smart card in a kiosk at Coal India Ltd. office at Kolkatta. These kiosks will be gradually installed in facilitation centers of all the 23 regional offices of CMPFO during the next one to two years.

The Coal Minister Shri Kariya Munda launched the Scheme by distributing cards among six employees. Speaking on the occasion the Minister expressed the hope that the smart cards will minimise the harassment to workers and make the system more transparent. The CMPFO Commissioner Shri Rajesh Kumar said the smart card in CMPFO is the first in any Provident Fund Organisation and the system is developed by IIT Kharakpur. The database will be bilingual. CMPFO provides social security to over 7 lakh coal miners in the country.