ESIC scheme to give cash relief to insured persons during unemployment

Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Wednesday approved a new scheme which would pay cash relief to insured persons during the period of unemployment, the Labour Ministry said.

The scheme, Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojna, is a relief payable in cash directly to Bank Account iof insured person in case of unemployment and while they search for new engagement, Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar said.

The scheme would benefit insured persons (IP) covered under the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948. It has been formed considering the change in employment pattern and the current scenario of employment in India which has transformed from a long term employment to fixed short term engagement in the form of contract and temporary, the ministry said.

The proposal scheme was approved Wednesday in the ESIC board meeting chaired by the labour minister.

Detailed instructions including eligibility conditions, application format, etc. will be issued separately.

The ESIC has also approved the proposal for reimbursement of Rs 10 per person to the employers to encourage the seeding of Aadhaar (UID) in ESIC database of their workers and their family members. It will curtail the multiple registrations of same Insured Persons and thus enable them to avail the benefits requiring longer contributory conditions.

The ESIC also approved the proposal for relaxing eligibility conditions for availing Super Specialty treatment from earlier insurable employment of 2 years to 6 months with contribution requirement of only 78 days.

Besides, the eligibility for availing Super Specialty treatment for dependents of Insured Person has now been relaxed to insurable employment of one year with 156 days of contributions. This relaxation will immensely help the Insured Persons and their beneficiaries to avail Super Specialty treatment free of cost as per revised eligibility, it added.

The ESIC has approved the proposal for increasing the funeral expenses from existing Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 being paid on the death of Insured Person.