ESI scheme of ESIC extended to 15 districts of Uttar Pradesh

The government of India has extended the coverage of the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) to 15 additional districts of Uttar Pradesh. The total number of districts covered under the  ESI scheme in the country now stands at 689 out of 778 districts in the country.

The extension of the ESI scheme in Uttar Pradesh was announced by the Union Minister of Labour, Employment, Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, in New Delhi. 

Status of ESI Scheme in India  

Now ESI scheme covers 74 out of the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh. The newly covered districts are Ambedkar Nagar, Bahraich, Gonda, Jalaun, Kannauj, Maharajganj, Mahoba, Pilibhit, Shravasti, Hamirpur, Siddharthnagar, Shamli, Auraiya, Pratapgarh, and Kasganj.

• Total Districts Covered (Fully + Partially): 689
• Fully Covered Districts: 586
• Partially Covered  Districts: 103
• Non-Covered Districts: 89
• Total Districts in India: 778

About the ESI Scheme

• The ESI scheme is India’s largest social insurance scheme, administered by the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) under the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment.
• It provides social benefits to employees as defined under the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948.
• The ESI Scheme was launched by Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru in Kanpur on 24 February 1952. It was also simultaneously launched in New Delhi on the same day.

Who is covered under the Scheme? 

• The ESI scheme is applicable to factories and other establishments - Road Transport, Hotels, Restaurants, Cinemas, Newspapers, Construction Site Shops, and Educational/Medical Institutions wherein 10 or more persons are employed. 
• In some states, it applies to factories and establishments employing 20 or more persons. 
• Workers having a monthly wage up to Rs  21,000 are covered under the ESI scheme.

Financing of the Scheme

• Both the employer and the Employees contribute to the scheme.
• The contribution of the employers is 4.75 % of the wages of the employee.
• The employee contribution is 1.75% of the wage.
• Employees earning a daily wage of less than  Rs. 137 per day are exempted from payment of their share of contribution.

Benefits 

The ESI scheme provides the following benefits to its beneficiaries 

• Medical Benefits: Primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare.
• Cash benefits in case of the employee's sickness, temporary/permanent disablement, maternity benefits (26 weeks), dependent benefits, and funeral expenses.
• Unemployment Allowance: Under the Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojana and Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana for workers facing job loss.