February 20, 2002

    The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation is bringing about improvements in delivery of medical services and creating certain additional facilities. The Corporation has allocated Rs.130 crore have been made in the Budget Estimates for 2002-2003 for this purpose. Presiding over a meeting of the Corporation at New Delhi today, the Labour Minister Shri Sharad Yadav said that 8 State Governments have already granted their consent for setting up of model hospitals under direct administrative control of the ESI Corporation. The issue is being pursued vigorously with rest of State Governments, the Minister said. The Corporation has also earmarked Rs.10 crore for establishing a full fledged Cardiac Centre at ESI Hospital at Rohini in Delhi whereas Rs.50 crore have been earmarked in the Budget Estimates for procurement of modern diagnostic equipment for ESI Hospitals besides replacement of old and out dated medical gadgets.

    The meeting also approved the Corporation’s Budget Estimates for the year 2002-2003. The total income from employers and employees contribution has been projected at Rs.1247 crores during the year. On the other hand the Corporations share of expenditure on medical facilities to insured population has been estimated at Rs.759 crores and the expenditure on cash benefits in contingencies of sickness, physical disablement, maternity or death due to employment injury has been estimated at Rs.327.47 crores. Put together the total out flow of funds on account of medical and cash benefits is about Rs.250 crores over and above the expenditure during the current year.

    As against the total contribution income of Rs.1247 crores in the ensuing financial year the total revenue expenditure has been estimated at Rs.1401 crores. The net gap in contribution income and expenditure is proposed to be met from the interest and dividend.