The draft amendments have been notified in the gazette for stakeholder consultation and will be finalised in a month’s time.
The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation, under the labour ministry, has proposed draft amendments to the Employees’ State Insurance (General) Regulations, 1950, paving way for appointment of a local committee with representatives of Center, state government, employers and employees in each notified district under the existing regional board to facilitate devolution of powers at the grass root level for better implementation of the scheme.
Employees’ State Insurance Corporation of India, is a multidimensional social system tailored to provide socio-economic protection to worker population and immediate dependent or family covered under the scheme.
The ESI scheme is applicable to all factories and other establishments as defined in the Act with 10 or more persons employed in such establishment and the beneficiaries’ monthly wage does not exceed Rs 21,000 are covered under the scheme. The scheme currently covers nearly 3.5 crore insured persons and have 13.3 crore beneficiaries.
Besides full medical care for self and dependents, that is admissible from day one of insurable employment, the insured persons are also entitled to a variety of case benefits in times of physical distress due to sickness, temporary or permanent disablement etc. resulting in loss of earning capacity, the confinement in respect of insured women, dependents of insured persons who die in industrial accidents or because of employment injury or occupational hazard are entitled to a monthly pension called the dependents benefit.