ESI members get substantial benefits

New Delhi, Dec 23: The Employees State Corporation (ESIC) today announced a slew of benefits for its members including enhancing the expenditure on medical benefit from present Rs 900 per insured person (IP) family per annum to Rs 1,000.

The Corporation also decided to increase the limit for exemption from paying employees contribution in respect of employees drawing daily wage limit upto Rs 70, thus exempting about 5.70 lakh employees from paying their contribution under the ESI scheme. At present the exemption limit is Rs 50.

However, the employer's contribution for these employees will have to be paid.

These decisions were taken at the 137th meeting of ESIC held here under the Chairmanship of the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment Oscar Fernandes.

The meeting also decided to enhance the sickness benefit to 120 per cent of the standard benefit rate.

It was also decided to enhance disablement benefit including temporary and permanent disability benefit from the existing 140 per cent to 150 per cent of the standard benefit rate. The existing limit of reimbursement of funeral expenses has also been enhanced from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000. These decisions will entail the Corporation a total liability of Rs 61 crore.

The meeting also approved the annual report of the Corporation for the year 2005-06.

The Corporation has achieved the highest ever revenue income of Rs 2,410.61 crore, out of which, Rs 1,933.56 crore has come through contribution income. It has been able to distribute Rs 31.44 lakh cash benefit payments to the tune of Rs 273.73 crore.

During the year the total expenditure on medical benefits has gone up to Rs 724.11 crore. The ESI scheme has been implemented in 10 new centres and 90 new geographical areas thereby covering additional 1.48 lakh employees.

Mr Fernandes said this has been an outstanding year of achievements for the Corporation. He said a number of new initiatives were taken by the ESIC which included launch of pilot project of computerisation for on-line services to enhance efficiency in both cash and medical benefit disbursal, achievement of ISO certification for 20 offices and hospital of ESIC among others, according to an official statement.

UNI