New Delhi: The Prime Minister’s Office is reportedly considering a proposal to raise the salary ceiling for eligibility under the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) scheme to ₹30,000. For the past eight years, the salary limit has remained unchanged at ₹21,000, excluding nearly one crore workers from free medical benefits.

The Ministry of Labour and the ESI Corporation are preparing to implement the hike once the PMO gives its approval. Worker unions had expressed strong dissatisfaction when the June ESI Corporation meeting in Shimla did not include the revision on its agenda. Following this, Labour Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, who is also the Chairman of the ESI Corporation, assured that the matter would be reviewed.

Although trade unions, including the BMS, had demanded that the ceiling be raised to at least ₹42,000, the government reached a consensus on ₹30,000, taking into account employers’ objections. It has also been decided that if ESI hospitals are unable to provide treatment, patients will be referred to reputed private hospitals.

Unions had opposed the earlier rule that referrals should only be to government hospitals. Until facilities and equipment in ESI hospitals are improved, patients may be directed to private hospitals. Across India, there are 159 ESI hospitals, of which 102 are run by state governments and the rest directly by the Corporation.