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The 185th meeting of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) scheduled in Rishikesh on Friday is expected to discuss the Social Security Code and decide on ESIC’s role in implementing the code.
The trade unions have demanded expanding the ambit of ESIC benefits to more workers, while the employers’ bodies want the insurer to be professionalised to take on the present challenges.
The trade unions, including the BMS, have written to the Board urging that the ceiling for coverage should be increased. BMS national secretary V Radhakrishnan, also a member in the Board, urged that “The wage ceiling for coverage be increased to ₹30,000 from ₹21,000. Alternatively, those of the insured persons who have crossed the wage ceiling of ₹21,000 be allowed to continue under ESI scheme by payment of contribution on wages of ₹21,000, as is being followed in EPF, till their retirement.”
‘Cost structure’
Representative of the Employers’ Federation of India, Vijay Padate said the ESIC has to look after the interests of the insured person and their family members and the organisation has a lot of opportunities before it. “First, ESIC has to look internally at its cost structure,” he said. Padate said the Board will also discuss how the Social Securities Code will be implemented in the country and the role of ESIC in the process will be defined in the meeting. “Due to Covid and lockdowns, a number of workers do not have sufficient number of work days in their credit. The Government has reduced the required number of working days, but the provision has to be extended beyond June, 2021,” Radhakrishnan told BusinessLine.
Effective management
The trade unions will also demand setting up of Zonal Offices for effective management of the ESI Scheme. There is also a demand that the ESI Scheme should be extended to the workers in the plantation sector and the unorganised sector. “This would ensure that much needed social security cover to the majority of workers are extended at the earliest,” the BMS leader added.
Social security
Labour Secretary Apurva Chandra will make a presentation on the “Future of Social Security in India” during the Board meeting. There will be separate discussion on the impact of Social Security Code on the roles and responsibilities of the ESIC.
Union Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav will address the meeting in which representatives of all States and Union territories, employers and trade unions will participate.
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