ESIC Alert: Modi Government's BIG DECISION for expecting women; huge 50% hike in confinement expenses

ESIC Alert: The Narendra Modi Government has decided to increase the confinement expenses of the pregnant women who couldn't avail of the ESIC's maternity benefits. The Central Government has increased the confinement expenses of pregnant women from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,500. The decision in this regard was taken in the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) 181st meeting held on 13th February 2020. The meeting was chaired by Union Minister for Labour & Employment Santosh Gangwar. 

The Ministry of Labour and Employment informed about the big news for pregnant women in a written press statement citing, "Keeping in view the rise in the cost of living index resulting increase in expenditure related to confinement, the existing amount of confinement expenses has been increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,500. This facility is for pregnant ladies who are not able to avail maternity services of ESIC dispensaries/ hospitals due to unavoidable reasons and take treatment in other hospitals." 

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The press statement further added that the ministry had taken some decision for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in that meeting citing, "ESI Corporation has approved the operationalization of EWS Quota & Admissions to ESIC Medical Institutions from the Academic year 2020-21. Besides this, provisional Admission Policy-2020 for Admission to MBBS/BDS Seats under Insured Persons’ (IPs) Quota in ESIC Medical Colleges has also been approved."

Speaking on the 181st meeting of the ESIC Union Minister for Labour & Employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar expressed satisfaction that ESIC has taken many new initiatives for making the lives of insured persons easier. He also deliberated upon his recent visit to many ESIC Hospitals for assessing the real-time difficulties of IPs and steps taken towards improving the medical and other related services.