Share
DIMAPUR— The assistant labour commissioner of Nagaland, Zaremo Kikon, has underlined the importance of the Employees State Insurance (ESI) scheme and the need to create awareness among the employees covered under the scheme.
Kikon stated this during an awareness-cum-medical camp and Aadhaar seeding held in the conference hall of the directorate of Employment, skill development and entrepreneurship, Kohima on Sunday.
The awareness programme was organised by the Labour department, in collaboration with the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).
A DIPR report stated that Mario Manirhii, assistant director of ESIC at regional office, Guwahati, made a presentation on the benefits of ESI, and the role and responsibility of employers in enrolling their employees.
He explained that ESI is a social security health insurance scheme under the ministry of labour and employment and administered by the ESI Corporation.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]Manirhii stated that the scheme is applicable to factories and other establishments with 10 or more workers, whose salary is equal to or below INR 21,000. He added that contributions from both employers and employees finance ESI with rates set at 3.25% and .75% respectively.
According to him, the scheme provides various benefits including medical benefits for insured persons, their spouses and dependents as well as sickness benefit, disablement benefit, dependant benefit and maternity benefits.
He added that failing to register with the scheme could result in penalties including interest, damages and retrospective mandatory contributions. He, therefore, encouraged the establishments to register as soon as possible to avoid such penalties.
The report stated that the programme was primarily targeted to cover establishments located between Keziekie and New Secretariat in Kohima.
After the sensitisation programme, all the participants were administered free medical check-ups. Besides, Aadhaar seeding was also conducted for workers who were already registered under the scheme.
A total of 85 workers from 10 establishments participated in the programme.