The Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, has announced the extension of the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme to several districts in Manipur. Effective from August 1, the scheme will now cover Bishnupur, Senapati, Ukhrul, Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, and Thoubal districts.
The expansion of the ESI Scheme aims to provide comprehensive social security benefits to employees in these regions. The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, issued a release detailing the new coverage areas and the registration requirements for employers.
The ESIC has mandated that all factories and establishments in the newly covered districts must register their units online. This requirement applies to a wide range of establishments, including:
- Factories
- Shops
- Hotels and Restaurants
- Road Motor Transport Establishments
- Cinemas, including preview theatres
- Newspaper Establishments
- Educational Institutions (public, private, aided, or partially aided)
- Medical Institutions (corporate, joint sector, trust, charitable, and private ownership hospitals, nursing homes, diagnostic centres, pathological labs)
- Municipal Bodies, including Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, Nagar Palikas, and other Urban Local Bodies run by the State Government
All these establishments employing 10 or more persons are required to register their units on the official ESIC website (www.esic.in). Additionally, registrations can also be completed on the Shram Suvidha Portal (registration.shramsuvidha.gov.in) of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, to ensure that all eligible employees can access the benefits provided under the ESI Act, 1948.
The directive, issued through Gazette notification number 2560 dated July 10, is part of the government’s effort to extend social security coverage to more workers across the country. The ESI Scheme provides medical care to employees and their families, cash benefits during sickness and maternity, monthly payments in case of disability or death due to employment injury, and a range of other benefits aimed at improving the welfare of the workforce.
The extension of the ESI Scheme to additional districts in Manipur represents a significant step towards enhancing the social security net for employees in these regions. Employers are urged to comply with the new registration requirements to facilitate the seamless provision of benefits to their workers. This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring the welfare and security of all employees across the nation.
