Govt proposes to spend Rs 8,800-cr on ESI beneficiaries

Central government has proposed spendings worth over Rs 8,800 crore on medical and cash benefits for workers and family members covered under the ESI scheme during 2016-2017 fiscal year, Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said here today.
Speaking to reporters after the 168th meeting of the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) held here, he said the budget estimates of ESIC for FY 2016-17 are Rs 16,781 crore, up from the revised estimates of Rs 14,620 crore for current FY 2015-16.
"As per the budget estimates, we are going to spend Rs 7,618 crore in the next year on medical benefit and Rs 1,184 crore on cash benefit for the workers and the family members covered under the ESI scheme," Dattatreya, the Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, said.

He said it was estimated that the contribution income will reach to about Rs 11,800 crore in the current financial year.
"These figures indicate that our corporation is growing and is dedicated to work towards the social security and welfare of the working class in the lower wage bracket," Dattatreya said.
For the current FY, the revised estimates for medical benefits were Rs 6,164 crore while the cash benefits Rs 999 crore.

Stressing that the Ministry is committed to the social security of the workers in the organised as well in the unorganised sector, he said the ESIC is also going to serve some of the unorganised sector workers on pilot basis to cater to their social security needs.

"An 'Unorganised Sector Workers Health Scheme' is going to be launched for rickshaw pullers/auto-rickshaw drivers very soon on pilot basis in Delhi and Hyderabad," Dattatreya said.
The meeting also discussed revised estimates for the year 2015-16 and budget estimates for the year 2016-17 of ESIC and performance budget for 2016-17.