ESI hospitals to be set up in all districts of country: Gangwar

Hyderabad: The Centre is planning to set up ESI hospitals in all districts in the country, Union Minister of State for Labour (Independent Charge) Santosh Kumar Gangwar said on Wednesday.

The facility was now available only in about 400 of the 700 districts in the country, he said dedicating the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Medical College and Hospital and laying the foundation stone for a new outpatient department block here.

"The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) is keen that ESI hospitals be set up in all the districts of the country," Gangwar said.

He assured all support to the ESIC hospital here and make it an ideal facility as sought by Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy, who is the local Member of Parliament representing Secunderabad.

He said there was no shortage of funds with the ESIC and the government has reduced the rate of contribution of employers from 4.75 per cent to 3.25 per cent and that of employees from 1.75 per cent to 0.75 per cent.

A decision has been taken to allow non-IPs (Insured Persons) to avail medical services in underutilised ESIC hospitals, he said.

The minister said the government has amended labour laws and 40 crore workers would get a minimum wage.

Speaking on the occasion, Kishan Reddy urged the Telangana government to implement the Centre's 'Ayushman Bharat' health insurance scheme in the state.

The proposed multi-storied OPD Block at the ESIC Medical College and Hospital at Sanatnagar would be constructed with a project cost of Rs 124 crores, officials said.

It would offer services in various specialities, including opthalmology, general medicine, dermatology, audio and speech therapy and pulmonology.