Sis Ram Ola, Union Minister of labour and Employment hands over cheque of Rs 1 crore to Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India. ESIC officers and employees donated one day salary to Prime Minister’s relief fund.
As a part of providing assistance to the flood victims of Uttarakhand, the officers and employees of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) voluntarily contributed one day salary amounting to Rs 1 crore to the Prime Minister’s relief fund. Sis Ram Ola was accompanied by AK Agrawal, Director General, ESIC handed over the cheque for Rs 1 crore to Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India. Sis Ram Ola, who is also the Chairman of ESIC, apprised the Prime Minister that ESIC and other organizations under the Union Ministry of labour & Employment are fully ready to provide their assistance for speedy restoration of normalcy in Uttarakhand.
AK Agrawal, Director General, ESIC informed that instructions are being issued to all offices of ESIC throughout the country to settle expeditiously the claims admissible under ESI scheme of beneficiaries & insured persons, affected due to the natural calamity in Uttarakhand. All ESIC hospitals and dispensaries in Uttarakhand and nearby states are being directed to provide best possible medical treatment to beneficiaries & insured persons under ESI scheme, affected by this natural calamity.
The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation is a pioneer social security organization providing comprehensive social security benefits like medical care and cash benefits in times of need such as employment injury, sickness, death, etc. The ESI Act applies to applicable premises/precincts where 10 or more persons are employed. The employees drawing wages up to Rs 15,000 a month are entitled to health insurance cover and other benefits, under the ESI Act.
Keeping pace with the progress of industrialisation, the scheme today stands implemented at over 807 centers in 29 states and union territories. The Act now applies to over 5.80 lakh factories and establishments across the country, benefitting about 1.71 crores family units of workers. As of now, the total beneficiary population of ESI scheme stands over 6.63 crores. Ever since its inception in 1952, the ESI Corporation has, so far, set up 151 hospitals including 34 model hospitals, 1372/91 dispensaries/ISM Units, 804 branch/pay offices and 59 regional and sub-regional offices.