Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said that the Union Ministry of Labour & Employment was committed to the social security of the workers in the organized sector as well as in the unorganized sector, and will protect the interest of the working class.
Addressing the 168th Meeting of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) here on Friday, Dattatreya said that the ESIC was going to launch ‘Unorganised Sector Workers Health Scheme’ for the auto-rickshaw drivers very soon on pilot basis in Delhi and Hyderabad.
The Union Minister also launched a new TV commercial/film on ESIC 2.0 during the meeting which may carry the initiatives and massages of Health Reforms agenda of ESIC 2.0. The main character of this TVC/Film has been played by famous actress and MP Hema Malini. This TVC/Film has been done by Hema Malini free of cost, on complimentary basis, for ESIC, being a social security organisation for working class in the lower wage bracket.
As per the Budget Estimates of the Corporation for the year 2016-17, Rs.7,618.00 crores will be spent in the next year on Medical Benefit and Rs.1184.00 crores on Cash Benefits for the workers and the family members covered under the ESI Scheme.
Shankar Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment, Govt. of India was also present in the meeting. Deepak Kumar, Director General, ESIC briefed the tripartite body i.e. the Corporation about the recent initiatives/developments/achievements of ESIC.
ESIC has taken a decision to upgrade the existing Sub-Regional office in Vijayawada as Regional Office of Andhra Pradesh and to open one more Sub-Regional Office at Tirupati. (INN)