The areas under the purview of Employees State Insurance Scheme should be maximised as much as possible, said the State labour minister Harish Chandra Durgapal. The minister said this while chairing a meeting with officials of Employees State Insurance Corporation, Government of India and Employees State Insurance Scheme to review the extension of the scheme and its proper implementation.
Addressing the officials, Durgapal said that the scheme should be extended to more areas. The corporation and ESIS officials should ensure necessary action to bring employees in these areas under the purview of Employees State Insurance Act. He directed the State Medical Commissioner, Employees State Insurance Corporation to ensure the swift reimbursement of pending payments regarding the beneficiaries to contracted medical institutions. The minister also told the regional director for the corporation to establish contact with senior officers and inform the State Government about the status of work on opening of approved hospitals, dispensaries, diagnostic centres and branch offices.
Durgapal also directed the officials concerned to identify land for opening dispensaries in mountain districts and to increase the number of dispensaries in SIIDCUl industrial areas. A survey should be conducted again in Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, Almora and Champawat districts and the scheme should be implemented after identifying the
maximum possible number of beneficiaries and areas, he added.