New Delhi: Millions of workers in the
unorganised sector would be able to take advantage of the
ESIC medicare facilities with the government today deciding to
amend the Employees` State Insurance Act 1948 to significantly
enhance the social security coverage.
A decision to amend the existing Act to ensure
effective implementation of the Employees` State Insurance
Scheme was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The facilities of ESIC would now be extended to
workers in the unorganised sector under Rashtriya Swasthya
Bima Yojana by making optimum use of under-utilised hospitals
and dispensaries of ESI Corporation, sources said.
It would apply to all places where ten or more workers
are employed.
Besides extending the benefits to dependants of the
insured persons to 25 years from the present 18 years, it
would provide benefits to workers for accidents while
commuting to-and-fro from the place of work.
The ESIC would be empowered to enter into an agreement
with any local authority, local body or private body for
commissioning or running ESI hospitals through third party
participation for providing medical treatment and attendance
to insured persons, the sources said.
The state governments, with the prior approval of the
Centre, would be able to set up autonomous organisations on
the pattern of ESIC, they said.
A Bill to amend the ESI Act 1948 would be brought
before Parliament, they added.
-PTI
