Shillong, April 8: The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), North East Zone, has announced the implementation of the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) scheme in all districts of Meghalaya from April 1.
First in 1980
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Pranay Sinha, Insurance Commissioner, North East Zone, said Meghalaya has a long association with the ESI Scheme, which was first introduced in East Khasi Hills in 1980 and later extended to Ri Bhoi district and has now been expanded to cover the entire state.
State facilities
At present, the state has 28,263 insured persons, covering 1,982 employers and around 1.1 lakh beneficiaries. Healthcare services are currently being provided through two ESIS dispensaries located at Shillong and Byrnihat, along with a secondary care unit at Bethany Hospital and a super speciality treatment unit at PA Sangma International Medical College and Hospital in Ri Bhoi.
He said the ESIC has achieved rapid progress in Meghalaya, expanding coverage from just two districts to all twelve districts within a span of six to eight months.
100-bed hospital to come up
He also informed that steps are being taken to strengthen infrastructure, including the proposed construction of a 100-bed ESIC hospital in Shillong, for which land has already been provided by the sate government and the construction near NEIGRIHMS is expected to begin shortly.
In order to further strengthen the service delivery, four new Dispensary-cum-Branch Offices(DCBO) have been approved in Jowai, Tura, Nongstoin, and Khliehriat to ensure wider outreach across all districts.
The ESIC has developed a strong nationwide network comprising 165 hospitals, more than 1,500 dispensaries and over 800 branch offices to ensure that workers receive accessible and quality healthcare and benefits. He emphasized that the scheme reflects a coordinated partnership between the central and state governments to protect the interests of workers by providing both medical and financial security.
“Through this scheme, we aim to reach every eligible worker and provide the best possible medical care along with essential cash benefits, ensuring their social and economic protection,” he said.
Sinha said the scheme provides comprehensive cash support including sickness benefit, maternity benefit, disablement benefits and dependants’ benefit in the event of a worker’s death due to employment injury.
Highlighting the ease of access, Sinha stated that registration under the scheme is fully digital and managed through the ESIC and Shram Suvidha portals. He explained that establishments employing ten or more workers are mandatorily required to register under the Act, and employees earning up to Rs 21,000 per month (Rs 25,000 for persons with disabilities) are eligible for coverage, with contributions fixed at 0.75 % from employees and 3.25 % from employers.
Quoting the vision behind the rapid expansion, Sinha said,“Under the leadership and clear vision of the Union Minister of Labour & Employment, Mansukh Mandaviya, the ESIC is committed to expanding its coverage to every district in the country so that no worker is deprived of medical and cash benefits.”
Education opportunities
Sinha highlighted that ESIC offers significant educational opportunities through reserved MBBS and BDS seats for wards of insured persons under the NEET quota, with comparatively lower fees, thereby providing an added advantage to workers’ families.
Emphasizing awareness and outreach, he said that ESIC will undertake extensive campaigns including surveys, employer engagement, health check-up camps, and large-scale publicity initiatives to ensure maximum enrolment and awareness among workers and employers. He also mentioned that efforts are underway to upgrade the existing camp office in Shillong into a Sub-Regional Office, which will enhance administrative efficiency and service delivery within the state.
