The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) today commenced the celebration of its 75th Year of Service at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, marking over seven decades of dedicated service to workers and their families across the country. Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, delivered the keynote address at the event.

Shri N. K. Premachandran, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Ms. Vandana Gurnani, Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment; Shri Ramesh Krishnamurthi, Central Provident Fund Commissioner, Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO); Ms. Michiko Miyamoto, Director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Decent Work Technical Support Team for South Asia and Country Office for India, and senior officers of the Ministry of Labour & Employment, ESIC and EPFO, were also present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya  described the institution’s journey as a remarkable example of growth, reform and service to the nation. He noted that ESIC began its journey in 1952 with around 1.2 lakh beneficiaries and a single dispensary, and has today expanded to serve more than 15 crore beneficiaries through a vast network of 166 hospitals, 17 medical colleges and nearly 1,600 dispensaries. Comparing ESIC’s evolution to the growth of a child into a mature and responsible member of society, Union Minister said the organisation has continuously reformed and strengthened itself in response to changing times, emerging today as a robust pillar of social security in the country.

Highlighting the importance of commitment and determination in achieving success, Dr. Mandaviya emphasized that ESIC must continue to adopt a reform-and-perform approach and take collective “sankalps” in its 75th year to further improve service delivery. Stressing the need to ensure availability of medicines, equipment and doctors across all hospitals, he called for minimizing referrals by strengthening in-house facilities and ensuring that staff members are delivering their duties with due diligence. He underlined that in India, “Swasthya hi seva hai, aur seva hi hamara sanskar hai” (“Health is our mission, and service is our tradition”) and urged all medical professionals and officers to uphold discipline and honour the trust of the people of our country. He also stated that ESIC’s standards should aspire to match premier institutions like All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The Union Minister highlighted the provision in the Labour Codes for mandatory health check-ups for all workers above 40 years of age, noting that this would contribute to strengthening worker welfare and creating a protected workforce. Concluding his address, Dr. Mandaviya called upon all stakeholders to work collectively to make ESIC a global example of health security, underlining that a "New Bharat” is being built through collective effort, dedication and teamwork.

In her address, Secretary (Labour and Employment), Ms. Vandana Gurnani, stated that over the past 75 years, ESIC has grown from strength to strength, emerging as a cornerstone of India’s social security architecture. She emphasised that a healthy, protected and satisfied workforce is inherently more productive and contributes more effectively to the nation’s economic growth. She underlined that in treating an Insured Person (IP), ESIC is not merely addressing disease, but preventing poverty, protecting the breadwinners of families, and thereby actively contributing to nation-building.

Stressing that healthcare must be provided with dignity and respect to every Insured Person, she further stated that with the implementation of the Labour Codes, ESIC’s responsibilities have expanded significantly. These include pan-India coverage, extension of social security benefits to unorganised and gig workers, and provision of annual health check-ups for workers above 40 years of age through ESIC facilities. She also referred to the prestigious ISSA recognition conferred upon India at Malaysia, for excellence in social security administration, noting that ESIC has played a significant role in this achievement.

In recognition of the Platinum Jubilee, a Commemorative Coin of denomination marking ESIC@75 was formally released, symbolizing the Corporation’s remarkable 75-year journey of service to the nation, along with the launch of the ESIC@75 Coffee Table Book showcasing its legacy, milestones, and transformative initiatives. The Swasthya Rath Initiative was also launched to strengthen outreach and bring healthcare services closer to beneficiaries. In addition, Annual Health Check-up Camps were rolled out in alignment with the provisions of the Labour Codes to promote preventive healthcare and facilitate early detection of occupational diseases among workers aged 40 years and above.

An MoU was signed between the National Health Authority and the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation for convergence of the ESI Scheme with the Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), aimed at strengthening coordinated healthcare delivery and expanding access to quality services. The MoU was signed by Shri Sanjay Mehrishi, Joint Secretary, NHA, and Shri Ashok Kumar, Director General, ESIC. Another MoU was signed between ESIC and the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to promote quality assurance and accreditation across ESIC healthcare facilities. The agreement was signed by Dr. Ramanand N. Shukla, CEO, NABL, and Dr. R. Srinivasan, Medical Commissioner (MS), ESIC, with the objective of strengthening laboratory services and ensuring adherence to national quality standards.

During the event, Best Performance Awards were presented to outstanding field formations and medical institutions of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation. The awards underscore ESIC’s commitment to excellence in service delivery and healthcare administration nationwide.

An exhibition was held during the event showcasing the genesis and evolution of the ESIC, highlighting its contributions to labour welfare and social security. It also underscored ESIC’s future-ready role under the Labour Codes, emphasizing expanded coverage, improved service delivery, and technology-driven transformation for a stronger social protection framework.

The programme featured two panel discussions on the themes “Reaching the Unreached – New Vistas under the Code on Social Security” and “New Models for Scalability and Reach of Medical Care.” The first session brought together experts from the International Labour Organization, V. V. Giri National Labour Institute, and the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation to deliberate on expanding and strengthening social security coverage. The second session, with eminent professionals associated with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation, and the World Health Organization, focused on innovative and scalable models to enhance the reach, accessibility, and quality of healthcare services.

The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation will observe a Special Services Fortnight from 24th February to 10th March 2026 across all its field offices, hospitals, and medical institutions nationwide. The initiative aims to enhance outreach and bring healthcare, social security, and welfare services closer to insured workers. Activities will include seminars, awareness and hygiene camps, basic life support training, cleanliness drives, and daily health check-up camps for insured persons aged 40 years and above for early detection of occupational diseases in line with Labour Code provisions. Preventive screenings, yoga and AYUSH camps, grievance redressal sessions, and special drives for expeditious settlement of pending claims and bills will also be undertaken to strengthen service delivery and beneficiary satisfaction.

Observed annually on 24th February, ESIC Foundation Day commemorates the establishment of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation in 1952 under the Employees’ State Insurance Act, one of India’s earliest social security legislations for workers. Launched in Kanpur and Delhi, the ESI Scheme has since expanded to 713 districts across 36 States and Union Territories, emerging as a cornerstone of social security by providing healthcare and financial protection to millions of beneficiaries. The 75th Foundation Day observance reaffirms ESIC’s steadfast commitment to worker welfare and its continued evolution as a modern, compassionate, and responsive social security institution. Over the past 75 years, ESIC has significantly transformed India’s social protection landscape by providing comprehensive medical care, cash benefits, pensions, and support during sickness, maternity, disability, employment injury and unemployment—thereby contributing to the vision of a healthy, secure, and empowered workforce for a Viksit Bharat.

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Rini Choudhury/Anjelina Alexande

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