A number of major initiatives were undertaken by the ministry of Labour and Employment during the year 2021. These include inauguration of E-Shram portal, EPFO-linked Atma Nirbhar Bharat Yojna and setting up of new/expansions of ESIC hospitals in Gurugram (Manesar), Shahjahanpur, Haridwar, Vishakhapatanam, Meerut and Tinsukia, Assam. The following are the details: E-Shram Portal: The e-Shram portal was inaugurated on 26th August 2021 by Shri Bhupender Yadav, Hon’ble Minister (L&E) in presence of Shri Rameswar Teli, Hon’ble Minister of States (L&E). E-SHRAM portal has been developed for creating a National Database of Unorganized Workers, which is seeded with Aadhaar. It will have details of name, occupation, address, educational qualification, skill types and family details etc. for optimum realization of their employability and extend the benefits of the social security schemes to them. Any worker who is working in unorganized sector and aged between 16-59, is eligible to register on the eSHRAM portal e.g. migrant workers, gig workers, platform workers, agricultural workers, MGNREGA workers, Fishermen, Milkmen, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, Street Vendors, Domestic workers, Rickshaw pullers and other workers engaged in similar other occupations in the unorganised sector. 15,53,34,546 registrations have been completed in the eshram portal till 28.12.2021.

Atma Nirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY)-

To boost employment generation and to minimize socio-economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic, Ministry of Labour& Employment on 30.12.2020 notified EPFO-linked Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY). ABRY will help in formalization of informal employment and create new employment opportunities during and post COVID-19 Pandemic. As on 18^th December, 2021 total benefits of Rs. 2966.28 Crore have been given to 42,82,688 beneficiaries through 1,20,697 Establishments under ABRY.

Progress on EDLI Scheme

Under Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) Scheme, assurance benefit is provided to eligible family members so as to provide financial assistance in the event of an employee’s unfortunate death while in service. The assurance benefit has been raised from earlier ₹6 Lakhs to ₹7 Lakhs from 28.04.2021. Since 15.02.2020, an amount of Rs. 2470.80 Crore has been disbursed to 88,224 beneficiaries across 39,265 establishments as assurance benefit till 30.11.2021.

Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (OSH &WC Code 2020)

Expert Committees: The Government of India has constituted four Expert Committees for the purpose of framing standards on provisions relating to Safety, Health and Welfare as under Section 18, 23 and 24 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 pertaining to Factories, Dock Works, Building & Other Construction Works and Fire Safety.       

Further the following two Expert Committees are being headed by Director General, DGFASLI: Expert Committee for the purpose of framing standards on provisions relating to Safety, Health and Welfare for workplaces relating to Factories, and Expert Committee for the purpose of framing standards on Occupational Safety and Health for workplaces relating to Dock Work. The Draft standards being prepared, which are nearing completion.

Conduct of All-India Surveys:

Labour Bureau, is conducting the following All-India Surveys under the overall guidance of an Expert Group:

1.  All India Survey on Migrant Workers. (launched on 1^st April, 2021.)
2.  All India Quarterly Establishment based Employment Survey (AQEES) (launched with effect from 1^st April 2021.)
3. All India Survey on Domestic Workers. (Survey has been flagged off on 22^nd November 2021)

The Expert Group, chaired by Prof. S. P. Mukherjee and co-chaired by Dr. Amitabh Kundu, consists of distinguished statisticians and economists, alongwith senior officers of Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation and NITI Aayog.

6Labour and Employment Minister Shri BhupenderYadav released the report of first quarter of Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) part (April to June 2021), of the All-India Quarterly Establishment-based Employment Survey (AQEES) prepared by the Labour Bureau on 27.09.2021.

The AQEES has been taken up by the Labour Bureau to provide frequent (quarterly) updates about the employment and related variables of establishments, in both organised and unorganised segments of nine selected sectors.

Tripartite discussion on Global call to action for a human centred recovery from COVID-19

ILO in collaboration with this Ministry has organized a tripartite discussion on the Global call to action for a human centred recovery from COVID-19, in the context of India on 10.12.2021 in New Delhi. Shri Bhupender Yadav, Hon’ble Minister of Labour & Employment gave the Key Note address in the conference. There were two High Level Panel Discussions in the Conference. Shri Sunil Barthwal, Secretary (Labour & Employment) chaired one of the Panel Discussions on “Universal Social Protection and protection of all workers for a human centred sustainable and resilient recovery from COVID-19in the world of work in India”.

Providing medical care facilities ESIC beneficiaries from nearby ESIC empanelled Hospitals in case of non-availability of ESIC Hospital or Dispensary.

Keeping in view the sizeable increase in the number of ESI beneficiaries subsequent to expansion of ESI Scheme in newer geographical areas, efforts were made to strengthen the ESI medical care infrastructure to provide better medical services in the vicinity of beneficiaries’ residence. A step towards easing the hardships of ESI beneficiaries has been taken wherein, from now on ESI beneficiaries who did not have medical care facilities in the 10 KM radius of their residence can now avail medical facilities from ESI empaneled hospital, without referral, with the use of ESI e-Pehchan card/Health Passbook along with Aadhar/Govt. issued Identity Card and avail cashless medical consultation for OPD services directly from such hospital. Reimbursement of the availed medical services and prescribed medicines during OPD consultation will be done through their nearest Dispensary cum Branch Office (DCBO) or Regional Office where DCBO is not available.

Launch of ESIC COVID-19 Relief Scheme, in aid to COVID stricken IPs

In order to provide help and succour to the families of the Insured Persons (IPs) who died due to COVID-19, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has on 03.06.2021 launched ESIC COVID19 Relief Scheme. Under this scheme 90% of average wages of deceased Insured Person shall be paid to the eligible dependents of the Insured Person who died due to COVID-19. The Scheme is effective for a period of two years w.e.f. 24.03.2020.

The ESI Corporation, in its meeting held on 04.12.2021, has decided to relax the condition of minimum contribution from 70 days to 35 days in one year immediately preceding the diagnosis of Covid-19 disease. 

The spouse of the deceased IP shall also be eligible for medical care on depositing Rs. 120/- every year.

ESIC to construct 300 bedded Hospital including 50 Super Specialty beds at Haridwar, Uttarakhand.

To meet the medical services needs of IPs in Haridwar & surrounding districts, the ESI Corporation has decided to construct 300 bedded ESIC Hospital including 50 bedded Super Specialty beds & Staff Quarters in 5 acres of land at Haridwar, Uttarakhand. After construction, the hospital will provide medical care services to around 2.55 lakh Insured Workers & their family members.

ESIC to construct 350 bedded Hospital with additional 50 bedded SST wing at Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

Keeping its firm to provide good medical healthcare benefits to the Insured Workers and to strengthen its medical care infrastructure of 350 bedded Hospital with an additional 50 bedded SST Wing and 128 Staff Quarters in a plot area of 8.72 acres(approx..) at Sheelanagar, Vishakhapatnam. The proposed hospital, after construction, will provide medical services to around 14 lakh beneficiaries covered under ESI Scheme in Vishakhapatnam & surrounding areas.

Launch of Pilot Project on Annual Preventive Health Check-up Programme for ESI Insured Persons / Insured Women (IPS/IWs) aged 40 years and above

Shri Bhupender Yadav, Hon'ble Minister of Labour & Employment; Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Govt. of India and Chairman, ESIC launched a dedicated Pilot Programme for preventive Annual Health Checkup for Insured Persons aged 40 years and above from VigyanBhawan, New Delhi in 04 ESIC Medical Colleges/Hospitals located at Ahmedabad, Faridabad, Hyderabad and Kolkatta. This will benefit Insured Persons in early detection of diseases.

Construction of 500 bedded ESIC Hospital at Gurugram (Manesar) for expansion of services of existing 100 bedded Hospital

ESIC approved acquisition of the plot admeasuring 8.7 acres for setting up of 500 bed ESIC Hospital at HSIIDC, Manesar.

Setting up of 100 bedded ESIC Hospital at Meerut

The Corporation approved acquisition of land of 2.024 hectares for construction of 100 bed ESIC Hospital at Meerut, which the Govt. of UP provided free of cost.

Taking over of State run ESIS Hospital, Tinsukia, Assam

ESIC Corporation approved taking over of State run hospital at Tinsukia and its subsequent upgradation to a 100 bedded ESIC Hospital.

Inauguration of Dispensary and Branch Office at Rae Bareli & Panki, Uttar Pradesh

ESI Corporation also inaugurated new Dispensaries & Branch Offices at Rae Bareli &Panki on 27.11.2021 and 24.12.2021 respectively.

Bhoomi Pujan of 30 Bedded ESIC Hospital at Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

Bhoomi Pujan of the land acquired through the state govt. of U.P to kick start the construction of 30 bedded ESIC Hospital was also done on 24.12.2021.

Expansion of ESI Scheme

The ESI Scheme has been further expanded to 52 districts during the calendar year 2021, bringing 2,31,495 employees along with their family members under the Social Security umbrella of ESI Scheme. The benefits of ESI Scheme are now available in 592 districts. It is proposed to extend the coverage of ESI Scheme to all districts of the country by the year 2022.

National Career Service (NCS):

NCS portal leverages information technology to bring together job seeker and employer on common platform. As on 28-12-2021, the NCS platform has around 1.34 crore active jobseekers with around 1.7 lakh active employers and around 2.21 lakh active vacancies. The total number of vacancies mobilised on the portal since its launch in 2015 is more than 90 lakh.

.

************

HRK/GK