ESIC Committed, To Serve Poor, Says Bhupender Yadav

Union labour minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday said that Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) is committed to serve the poor "in a big way". Yadav chaired a 'Chintan Shivir' organised by ESIC at Surajkund, Haryana today, a labour ministry statement said. While addressing the participants, Yadav said that the reforms in ESIC service delivery mechanism have started through a series of pro-worker initiatives and the ESIC is committed to serve the poor in a big way.

He exhorted ESIC to focus on fulfilling PM's vision of 'Swasthya Se Samridhi' by bridging the gap between policy and execution, working towards the collective goal of welfare of poor and through capacity building at individual and institutional level. Earlier in the day, Rameswar Teli, minister of state for labour & employment, petroleum & natural gas, inaugurated 'Chintan Shivir', a first of its kind in the history of ESIC organisation.

During his inaugural speech, Teli sought for wider public awareness about government initiatives and ESI scheme. The topics of discussion at the ESIC 'Chintan Shivir' include expansion in ESI coverage, expansion of medical education, capacity building and motivation, key to healthcare improvement, ESIC-ESIS coordination and co-operation, and preventive health and occupational diseases. The deliberations will further continue on Thursday.

ESIC provides medical and social security benefits to its 3.39 crore insured persons and 14.3 crore beneficiaries in 596 districts of the country. There are 50 ESIC and 110 ESIS hospitals, 1,517 dispensaries, 89 dispensary-cum-branch offices, eight medical college & hospitals, two PG institutions, 24 regional offices, 39 sub-regional offices and 608 branch offices.

(PTI)