Kakinada: Gangwar lays stone for 100-bed ESIC hosp

Kakinada: Union minister for labour and employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar said that the Central government was giving top priority for the welfare of workers in the country.

Laying foundation stone to 100-bed ESIC (Employees State Insurance Corporation) hospital at Sambanurthi Nagar here on Wednesday, he said Rs 110 crore was sanctioned for the hospital which was coming up with all facilities.

The hospital would benefit 63,000 workers and 2.50 lakh dependants in Kakinada and Yanam areas. Advanced medical equipment would also be provided in the hospital.

The Union government was taking care of health of 3.50 crore workers and 12 crore of their family members in the country and sanctioning ESI hospitals as per the needs, he said.

The funds sanctioned to the hospital are the money paid by workers from their salaries, he added. "ESI hospitals in two Telugu states are functioning well. Out of six per cent ESI contribution, the share of workers is 1.75 per cent and share of managements is 4.25 percent. ESI Corporation is running 154 hospitals, 1,500 dispensaries, 815 branch offices, 634 regional and sub-regional offices across the country," Gangwar explained.

Andhra Pradesh minister for labour and employment G Jayaram said the government was committed to extend quality medical aid to workers in the state and implementing many schemes toward this end. He said foundation was laid for 100-bed ESI hospital at Vizianagaram recently and all the upcoming hospitals would have modern equipment to serve the medical and health needs of employees.

Jayaram said the government would take action against the persons involved in Rs 300 crore ESI scam.

Deputy chief minister Pilli Subash Chandra Bose asked the Union minister to upgrade the ESI hospital as cancer research institute.

Ministers Pinepe Viswaroop, Kurasala Kannababu, MP Vanga Geetha, MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhar Reddy, ESI medical commissioner R K Kataria, social welfare department principle secretary B Uday Lakshmi, MLAs, MLCs, collector D M Reddy and others were present.