30th September, 2003
Ministry of Labour  


UNION LABOUR MINISTER LAYS FOUNDATION STONE OF ESI DISPENSARY IN WAZIRPUR INDUSTRIAL AREA


The Union Labour Minister, Dr. Sahib Singh today laid the foundation stone of ESI Dispensary in Wazirpur Industrial area, Delhi. This will be the 37th ESI Dispensary under the ESI Scheme in Delhi area. The 800 sq.yds. plot for the dispensary has been acquired from the DDA to provide basic medical facilities to the industrial workers of the area nearer to their work place. A four doctor dispensary is being constructed on the site at an estimated cost of Rs. 30 lakhs.

Shri Lal Bihari Tiwari, Member Parliament (Lok Sabha) presided over today’s function. MLAs and Councillors of the area besides a large number of representatives from employers and employees attended the ceremonial function.

Speaking on the occasion, the union labour minister said that health care was the most important component of social security under the ESI Scheme. It was, therefore, imperative to provide a good and reliable infrastructural facility in densely worker populated areas. He said that the corporation was committed to providing high quality health care services to the 310 lakh ESI beneficiaries across the country. To achieve this goal, Dr. Sahib Singh said the corporation had already set up Model ESI Hospitals in 12 states so far. Some more ESI hospitals are in the process of being taken over by the corporation in the near future.

As of now, the ESI scheme covers about 5.50 lakh industrial workers in the national capital region of Delhi. Full medical care is provided to about 24 lakh beneficiaries that includes the dependants of insured persons. Medical services under the scheme are provided through a network of 36 dispensaries and 4 hospitals located at Basaidarapur, Rohini, Okhla and Jhilmil Shahdara. The Corporation spends over Rs. 100 crores in Delhi area for provision of medical facilities to about 1/5th of the total population of the national capital region.