Employees' State Insurance scheme (ESI, Hindi: कर्मचारी राज्य बीमा) is a self-financing social security and health insurance scheme for Indian workers. For all regular employees earning less than 15,000 per month salary, the employers and employees contribute a fixed percentage of the salary. This fund is managed by the ESI Corporation, which oversees the provision of medical and other benefits to the employees, through its large network of dispensaries and hospitals throughout India.
ESI was started in India in 1948, initially for factory workers.[1]:1 It now provides social security to employees from all industries, covering 12.5 million employees working with about 400,000 employers. Total beneficiaries as of 2008-09 are above 50 million.[2]:13[3] The employees registered under the scheme are entitled to medical treatment for themselves and their dependants, unemployment cash benefit in certain contingencies, and maternity benefit in case of women employees. In case of employment-related disablement or death, there is provision for a disablement benefit and a family pension, respectively.[1]:67
Outpatient medical facilities are available in 1398 ESI dispensaries, and through 1678 empanelled private medical practitioners. Inpatient care is available in 145 ESI Hospitals and 42 Hospital annexes; a total of 19387 beds. In addition, several state government hospitals also have beds for exclusive use of ESI Beneficiaries. Cash benefits can be availed in any of 783 ESI centres located throughout India.[2]:13,16
Recent years have seen increasing role of information technology in ESI, with the introduction of Pehchan smart cards in 'Project Panchdeep', India's largest e-governance project.[2]:8[4] In addition to insured workers, poor families eligible under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana can also avail facilities in ESI hospitals and dispensaries. There are plans to open medical, nursing and paramedical schools in ESI hospitals.[2]:8[3] Director General - Shri C.S. Kedar, IAS Financial Commissioner - Shri Rajiv Dutt, IRAS Medical Commissioner - Dr. J. N. Mahanty Insurance Commissioner - Shri Bimal Kumar Sahu