Section 17. The conditions under which a member may be permitted to pay premia on life insurance, from the Fund

17. The conditions under which a member may be permitted to pay premia on life insurance, from the Fund. 1[ 17. Power to exempt .—(1) The appropriate Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette and subject to such conditions as may be specified in the notification,[2] [exempt, whether prospectively or retrospectively, from the operation] of all or any of the provisions of any Scheme— (a) any[3] [establishment] to which this Act applies if, in the opinion of the appropriate Government, the rules of its provident fund with respect to the rates of contribution are not less favourable than those specified in section 6 and the employees are also in enjoyment of other provident fund benefits which on the whole are not less favourable to the employees than the benefits provided under this Act or any Scheme in relation to the employees in any other[3] [establishment] of a similar character; or (b) and[3] [establishment] if the employees of such[3] [establishment] are in enjoyment of benefits in the nature of provident fund, pension or gratuity and the appropriate Government is of opinion that such benefits, separately or jointly, are on the whole not less favourable to such employees than the benefits provided under this Act or any Scheme in relation to employees in any other[3] [establishment] of a similar character: 4[Provided that no such exemption shall be made except after consultation with the Central Board which on such consultation shall forward its views on exemption to the appropriate Government within such time limit as may be specified in the Scheme.] 5* * * * * 6[(1A) Where an exemption has been granted to an establishment under clause (a) of sub-section (1),— (a) the provisions of sections 6, 7A, 8 and 14B shall, so far as may be, apply to the employer of the exempted establishment in addition to such other conditions as may be specified in the notification granting such exemption, and where such employer contravenes, or makes default in complying with any of the said provisions or conditions or any other provisions of this Act, he shall be punishable under section 14 as if the said establishment had not been exempted under the said clause (a); (b) the employer shall establish a Board of Trustees for the administration of the provident fund consisting of such number of members as may be specified in the Scheme; (c) the terms and conditions of service of members of the Board of Trustees shall be such as may be specified in the Scheme; 1. Subs. by Act 37 of 1953, s. 16, for section 17. 2. Subs. by Act 33 of 1988, s. 23, for certain words (w.e.f. 1-10-1988). 3. Subs. by Act 94 of 1956, s. 3, for "factory". 4. Added by Act 33 of 1988, s. 23 (w.e.f. 1-10-1988).