Notes to Standalone Financial Note_38_R2

38 Employee benefits

Liability for employee benefits has been determined by an actuary, appointed for the purpose, in conformity with the principles set out in the Indian Accounting Standard 19 the details of which are as hereunder.

Funded schemes

Gratuity

The Company provides for gratuity payments to employees. The gratuity benefit payable to the employees of the Company is greater of the provisions of the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 and the Company’s gratuity scheme. Employees who are in continuous service for a period of 5 years are eligible for gratuity. The gratuity plan is a funded plan and the Company makes contributions to approved gratuity fund.

( In Crore)

Particulars

As at 31 March

2024

2023

     

Amount recognised in Balance Sheet

Present value of funded defined benefit obligation (DBO)

471.15

472.56

Fair value of plan assets

(495.05)

(505.16)

Net funded obligation

(23.90)

(32.60)

Amount not recognized due to asset ceiling

4.81

31.57

Net defined benefit liability/(asset) recognised in Balance Sheet

(19.09)

(1.03)

     

Expense recognised in the Statement of Profit and Loss

Current service cost

26.67

26.48

Interest on net defined benefit liability/(asset)

(1.94)

(2.75)

Total expense charged to Statement of Profit and Loss

24.73

23.73

     

Amount recorded as Other Comprehensive Income

Opening amount recognized in OCI outside statement of profit and loss

56.48

54.34

Remeasurements during the period due to

Changes in financial assumptions

8.12

(6.30)

Experience adjustments

(6.13)

(1.51)

Actual return on plan assets less interest on plan assets

(8.36)

12.20

Adjustment to recognize the effect of asset ceiling

(29.11)

(2.25)

Closing amount recognized in OCI outside statement of profit and loss

21.00

56.48

     

Reconciliation of net liability/(asset)

Opening net defined benefit liability/(asset)

(1.03)

(12.92)

Expense charged to Statement of Profit and Loss

24.73

23.73

Amount recognised outside Statement of Profit and Loss

(35.48)

2.14

Employer contributions

(7.31)

(13.98)

Closing net defined benefit liability/(asset)

(19.09)

(1.03)

   

Movement in benefit obligation

Opening of defined benefit obligation

472.56

477.07

Current service cost

26.67

26.48

Interest on defined benefit obligation

30.63

30.57

Remeasurements due to:

Actuarial loss/(gain) arising from change in financial assumptions

8.12

(6.30)

Actuarial loss/(gain) arising on account of experience changes

(6.13)

(1.51)

Benefits paid

(60.70)

(53.75)

Closing of defined benefit obligation

471.15

472.56

   

Movement in plan assets

Opening fair value of plan assets

505.16

521.52

Employer contributions

7.31

13.98

Interest on plan assets

34.91

35.60

Remeasurements due to:

Actual return on plan assets less interest on plan assets

8.37

(12.19)

Benefits paid

(60.70)

(53.75)

Closing fair value of plan assets

495.05

505.16

   

Disaggregation of assets

Category of assets

Insurer managed funds

495.05

505.16

Others

495.05

505.16

   

Sensitivity Analysis

Gratuity is a lump sum plan and the cost of providing these benefits is typically less sensitive to small changes in demographic assumptions. The key actuarial assumptions to which the benefit obligation results are particularly sensitive to are discount rate and future salary escalation rate. The following table summarizes the impact in percentage terms on the reported defined benefit obligation (DBO) at the end of the reporting period arising on account of an increase or decrease in the reported assumption by 50 basis points.

Particulars

As at 31 March 2024

As at 31 March 2023

Discount rate

Salary escalation rate

Discount rate

Salary escalation rate

   

Senior staff

Impact of increase in 50 bps on DBO

(3.00%)

3.09%

(3.09%)

3.18%

Impact of decrease in 50 bps on DBO

3.19%

(2.94%)

3.28%

(3.03%)

Junior staff

Impact of increase in 50 bps on DBO

(3.65%)

3.86%

(3.21%)

3.40%

Impact of decrease in 50 bps on DBO

3.99%

(3.58%)

3.50%

(3.16%)

   

These sensitivities have been calculated to show the movement in defined benefit obligation in isolation and assuming there are no other changes in market conditions at the accounting date. There have been no changes from the previous periods in the methods and assumptions used in preparing the sensitivity analyses.

Funding arrangement and policy

The money contributed by the Company to the fund to finance the liabilities of the plan has to be invested.

The trustees of the plan have outsourced the investment management of the fund to insurance companies. The insurance companies in turn manage these funds as per the mandate provided to them by the trustees and the asset allocation which is within the permissible limits prescribed in the insurance regulations.

There is no compulsion on the part of the Company to fully pre fund the liability of the Plan. The Company’s philosophy is to fund the benefits based on its own liquidity and tax position as well as level of under funding of the plan.

The expected contribution payable to the plan next year is 15 crore.

Projected plan cash flow

The table below shows the expected cash flow profile of the benefits to be paid to the current membership of the plan:

( In Crore)

Particulars

Less than a year

Between 1 – 2 years

Between 3 -5 years

Over 5 years

Total

    

31 March 2024

Senior staff

34.78

12.47

79.22

214.96

341.43

Junior staff

80.89

38.96

66.10

424.22

610.17

   

31 March 2023

Senior staff

34.64

8.40

75.13

205.78

323.95

Junior staff

88.13

43.43

86.98

400.94

619.48

    

As at 31 March

Weighted average duration of defined benefit obligation (in years)

2024

2023

  

Senior Staff

6.19

6.36

Junior Staff

7.63

6.70

   

As at 31 March

Principal Actuarial Assumptions (Expressed as Weighted Averages)

2024

2023

   

Discount rate (p.a.)

7.20%

7.45%

Salary escalation rate (p.a.) – senior staff

10.00%

10.00%

Salary escalation rate (p.a.) – junior staff

10.00%

10.00%

The estimates of future salary increases, considered in actuarial valuation, takes into account, inflation, seniority, promotions and other relevant factors, such as demand and supply in the employment market.

Provident Fund:

( In Crore)

As at 31 March

Particulars

2024

2023

   

Amount recognised in Balance Sheet

Present value of funded defined benefit obligation

1,516.11

1,452.17

Fair Value of plan assets

(1,566.45)

(1,476.49)

Net funded obligation

(50.34)

(24.32)

Amount not recognised due to asset ceiling

50.34

24.32

Net defined benefit liability/(asset) recognised in Balance Sheet

   

Expense recognised in the Statement of Profit and Loss

Current service cost

45.23

42.81

Total expenses charged to Statement of Profit and Loss

45.23

42.81

   

Amount recorded as Other Comprehensive Income

Opening amount recognised in OCI outside Statement of Profit and Loss

Remeasurements during the period due to

Changes in financial assumptions

10.83

Experience adjustments

19.92

21.67

Actual return on plan assets less interest on plan assets

(54.95)

24.76

Adjustment to recognize the effect of asset ceiling

24.20

(46.43)

Closing amount recognised in OCI outside Statement of Profit and Loss

   

Reconciliation of net liability/(asset)

Opening net defined benefit liability/(asset)

Expense charged to Statement of Profit and Loss

45.23

42.81

Employer contributions

(45.23)

(42.81)

Closing net defined benefit liability/(asset)

   

Movement in benefit obligation

Opening of defined benefit obligation

1,452.17

1,385.12

Current service cost

45.23

42.81

Interest on defined benefit obligation

105.49

98.50

Remeasurements due to:

Actuarial loss/(gain) arising on account of experience adjustments

19.92

21.67

Actuarial loss/(gain) arising from change in financial assumptions

10.83

Employee contributions

82.60

80.26

Benefits paid

(194.93)

(173.18)

Liabilities assumed/(settled)

(5.20)

(3.01)

Closing defined benefit obligation

1,516.11

1,452.17

   

Movement in plan assets

Opening fair value of plan assets

1,476.49

1,451.09

Interest on plan assets

107.31

103.28

Remeasurements due to:

Actual return on plan assets less interest on plan assets

54.95

(24.76)

Employer contributions during the period

45.23

42.81

Employee contributions during the period

82.60

80.26

Benefits paid

(194.93)

(173.18)

Assets acquired/(settled)

(5.20)

(3.01)

Closing fair value of plan assets

1,566.45

1,476.49

( In Crore)

As at 31 March

Disaggregation of assets

2024

   

Quoted

Government debt instruments

947.73

Other debt instruments

504.25

Others

48.59

Unquoted

Other debt instruments

Others

65.88

1,566.45

As at 31 March

Key actuarial assumptions

2024

2023

   

Discount rate (p.a.)

7.20%

7.45%

Future derived return on assets (p.a.)

8.97%

9.43%

Discount rate for the remaining term to maturity of the investment (p.a.)

7.15%

7.30%

Average historic yield on the investment (p.a.)

8.92%

9.28%

Guaranteed rate of return (p.a.)

8.25%

8.15%

    

Unfunded schemes

( In Crore)

Particulars

As at 31 March 2024

As at 31 March 2023

Compensated Absences

Compensated Absences

   

Present value of unfunded obligations

147.89

134.65

Expense recognised in the Statement of Profit and Loss

24.37

18.45

Amount recorded as Other Comprehensive Income

Discount rate (p.a.)

7.20%

7.45%

Salary escalation rate (p.a.) – senior staff

10.00%

10.00%

Salary escalation rate (p.a.) – junior staff

10.00%

10.00%

   

Compensated absences

   

The compensated absences cover the Company’s liability for casual and earned leave.

   

Entire amount of the provision is presented as current, since the Company does not have an unconditional right to defer settlement for any of these obligations. However, based on past experience, the Company does not expect all employees to take the full amount of accrued leave or require payment within the next 12 months. The following amounts reflect leave that is not expected to be taken or paid within the next 12 months.

( In Crore)

As at 31 March

Particulars

2024

2023

  

Compensated absences expected to be settled after twelve months

117.05

105.31

( In Crore)

As at 31 March

Particulars

2024

2023

  

Amount recognised in the Statement of Profit and Loss

Defined contribution plans:

Superannuation paid to trust

8.41

8.38

Pension fund paid to Government authorities

10.78

12.30

Others

1.86

0.68

Defined benefit plans:

Gratuity

24.73

23.73

Provident fund paid to trust

45.23

42.81

Others

0.40

0.47

91.41

88.37