Lok Sabha Question No. 58 (STARRED), answered on 2017-02-06
Subject: Expansion of ESI
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: SANKAR PRASAD DATTA, BALKA SUMAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 58

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2017

## EXPANSION OF ESI

## *58. SHRI SANKAR PRASAD DATTA: SHRI SUMAN BALKA:

Will  the  Minister  of  LABOUR  AND  EMPLOYMENT  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)the rules/regulations and the guidelines for registration of workers especially  in  the  unorganised  sector  under  the  Employees  State Insurance (ESI) scheme;
- (b)whether  the  Government  has  launched/proposes  to  launch  a  new scheme for promotion of registration of employers and employees and if so, the details including the salient features thereof;
- (c)the number of workers presently availing the facility of ESI scheme and  the  number  of  such  labourers  out  of  the  total  number  of labourers who are entitled for the said scheme but are not covered thereunder, State/UT-wise;
- (d)whether the Government proposes to bring in more employees from Public  and  Private  Sectors  as  well  as  unorganized  sector  into  the ambit  of  ESI  Scheme  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (e)whether  Employee  State  Insurance  Corporation  (ESIC)  has  also enhanced/proposes to enhance ceiling on Medical Expenditure and if so, the details thereof along with the other measures taken by the Government to make the functioning of ESIC more transparent and convenient for all stakeholders?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e)   OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 58 FOR 06.02.2017 BY SHRI SANKAR PRASAD DATTA AND SHRI SUMAN BALKA REGARDING EXPANSION OF

ESI.

- (a): Employees' State Insurance (ESI) Act, 1948 applies to factories/establishments situated in the notified areas in the organised sector employing 10 or more persons. However, Section 73(B) of the ESI Act provides for framing of schemes for other beneficiaries and the members of the families for providing medical facilities in any hospital established by the corporation in any area which is under-utilized on payment of user charges.

An online platform is available on official website of the ESIC to the employers to register the coverable employees in the implemented the factory/establishment  under  ESIC  Act  within  15  days  {Section  2(A) read with regulation 10 (B)}. After the Act becomes applicable to the units, they are also required to register their employees {Section 2(9)

areas. The employers are required to register read with regulation 11,12 & 14 of ESI General Regulation 1950}.

- (b): Yes, Madam, a Scheme to Promote Registration of Employers/Employees has been launched to give one time opportunity to the employers to cover left-out/uncovered employees.  The Scheme is  open  from  20/12/2016  to  31/3/2017.  The  salient  features  of  the Scheme are as under:
- I. The Employers registered during the period will be treated as covered from the date of registration or as declared by them.
- II. The newly registered employees shall be treated covered from date of their registration.
- as
- III. This  will  not  have  any  bearing  on  actions  taken/required under the ESI Act, if any, prior to 20th December 2016.
- (c): The number of workers presently availing facility of ESI Scheme, State/UT-wise is at Annexure.  However, total number of labourers who are entitled for ESIC but not covered is not maintained.

- (d): Under ESIC Reform Agenda 2.0 launched in July 2015, expansion plans for ESIC have been set up which include:-
- a)
- Full coverage of districts where ESI Act is partially implemented;
- b)
- c)
- Coverage  of districts headquarters of non-implemented districts;
- Coverage of renaming area of non-implemented Districts.
- d) So  far  283  districts    fully  and  37  districts  headquarters  of  the non-implemented have been notified for implementation;
- e) In  addition,  ESIC  has  also  launched/approved  two  separate schemes  to  provide  medical  facilities  to  selected  category  of self-employed workers like Auto-rickshaw drivers and Domestic Workers  and  their  family  members  on  pilot  basis  at  Delhi  & Hyderabad.
- (e): The ESI Corporation in its meeting held on 15 th  December, 2016 has approved enhancement of ceiling on medical expenditure incurred by State Governments from Rs.2,150/- to Rs.3,000/- per Insured Person for the year 2017-18.

To make the functioning of ESIC more transparent and convenient for all stakeholders, ESI Corporation has, inter-alia, taken following measures:

- a) Launch  of independent Public Grievance Module  2.0 for lodging  Grievance  online  through  website  'www.esic.in'  or 'www.esic.nic.in'.
2. Establishment of Public Grievances Redressal System at each
- b) level.
- c) Toll Free Helpline to ensure speedy Redressal and expeditious disposal of public grievances.
5. d)
6. Starting of medical helpline facilities.
- e) Starting of special OPD in the afternoon from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM for Senior Citizens and Differently - abled patients.
- f) Suggestion to State Governments to form State Level Organization for better delivery of medical care.

ANNEXURE

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 58 FOR 06.02.2017 BY SHRI SANKAR PRASAD DATTA  AND SHRI SUMAN BALKA REGARDING EXPANSION OF ESI.

| Total no. of IPs for the year 2015-16 (State- wise)   | Total no. of IPs for the year 2015-16 (State- wise)   | Total no. of IPs for the year 2015-16 (State- wise)   |
|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.                                                 | State/U.T                                             | 2015-16                                               |
| 1                                                     | Andhra Pradesh                                        | 629810                                                |
| 2                                                     | Telangana                                             | 1152270                                               |
| 3                                                     | Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim &Tripura           | 159210                                                |
| 4                                                     | Bihar                                                 | 143610                                                |
| 5                                                     | Chandigarh U.T.                                       | 109340                                                |
| 6                                                     | Chhattisgarh                                          | 271850                                                |
| 7                                                     | Delhi                                                 | 1280610                                               |
| 8                                                     | Goa                                                   | 170580                                                |
| 9                                                     | Gujarat                                               | 1030090                                               |
| 10                                                    | Haryana                                               | 1677020                                               |
| 11                                                    | H.P.                                                  | 235340                                                |
| 12                                                    | J&K                                                   | 92960                                                 |
| 13                                                    | Jharkhand                                             | 250630                                                |
| 14                                                    | Karnataka                                             | 2385840                                               |
| 15                                                    | Kerala                                                | 772210                                                |
| 16                                                    | Madhya Pradesh                                        | 546800                                                |
| 17                                                    | Maharashtra                                           | 2400290                                               |
| 18                                                    | Odisha                                                | 399580                                                |
| 19                                                    | Puducherry                                            | 101260                                                |
| 20                                                    | Punjab                                                | 804430                                                |
| 21                                                    | Rajasthan                                             | 789800                                                |
| 22                                                    | Tamil-Nadu                                            | 2927030                                               |
| 23                                                    | Uttar Pradesh                                         | 1320180                                               |
| 24                                                    | Uttrakhand                                            | 414530                                                |
| 25                                                    | West Bengal                                           | 1296610                                               |
|                                                       | Total                                                 | 21361880                                              |

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