Union Minister of State for Labour Bandaru Dattatreya says it will add 35 lakh new members under Employees StateInsurance Corporation

Hyderabad: In a bid to bring more workers from unorganised sector under the health insurance scheme, the Employees State Insurance Corporation has increased the monthly wage limit to Rs 21,000, Union Minister of State for Labour Bandaru Dattatreya said here Sunday.

"Earlier coverage under ESIC scheme was enhanced to Rs 15,000 in 2010. Now, government has taken a decision to hike the coverage from Rs 15,000 to Rs 21,000," he told PTI. He said that the government was also strengthening the health infrastructure for the benefit of workers. The upward increase in revision would add about 35 lakh new members to the ESIC pool, Dattatreya said.

At present, 2.14 crore persons were enrolled under this scheme. A notification in this regard had been issued on October 6 and invited suggestions and objections from all stakeholders. The government was also strengthening the health infrastructure by upgrading dispensaries into six-bedded hospitals, the Minister said.

The 10-bedded hospitals would also be upgraded into 30-bedded depending on the strength of the insured persons, Dattatreya said, adding that now ESIC and ESI both have 1,450 dispensaries. The Union minister said he had written to all Chief Ministers to provide land for construction of six-bedded hospitals.