It is a priority of the Government to work towards social security for workers, ensuring their health benefits and medical care.  This will go towards a more productive labour force, working towards a ‘Viksit Bharat’.

In this context, working under guidance of Labour and Employment Minister Dr.Mansukh Mandaviya, ESIC is working at expanding healthcare access to the workforce and their dependants, by converging the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) with facilities of Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). This initiative will benefit over 14.43 crore ESI beneficiaries and their families, providing them with greater access to quality and comprehensive medical care across India. In this context, Ms. Sumita Dawra, Secretary, Labour & Employment, Govt. of India, on 26.11.2024 reviewed the progress of the entire process of convergence of these two schemes and its implementation.

It was informed by DG, ESIC, Sh. Ashok Kumar Singh, that through this convergence, ESIC beneficiaries will be able to avail the secondary and the tertiary medical services at over 30,000 AB-PMJAY-empanelled hospitals nationwide, with no financial ceilings on treatment costs. This partnership will not only enhance the accessibility of healthcare services but also ensure that treatment expenses are fully covered, making healthcare easily accessible and affordable for all beneficiaries. The charitable hospitals across the country will also be empanelled for treatment of the ESI beneficiaries.

The present medical care under the ESI Scheme, being taken care of by the existing health infrastructure of 165 hospitals, 1590 dispensaries, 105 Dispensary cum Branch Offices (DCBOs) and around 2900 empanelled private hospitals will continue. The convergence of the ESI Scheme with AB-PMJAY will further supplement and strengthen ESIC efforts towards providing quality and accessible medical care to the workforce and their dependents of the country.

The ESI scheme has now been implemented in 687 districts (as against 393 districts in 2014) out of 788 districts of the country. This process has seen significant growth in the last 10 years. By collaborating with the PMJAY, the ESI Scheme can now be extended to remaining non-implemented districts with provision of this arrangement of medical care. 

The convergence of ESIC with AB-PMJAY is expected to significantly enhance the overall social security ecosystem, promoting health equity, and ensuring that quality care is accessible to those who need it the most.

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Himanshu Pathak