Municipal workers to get social security benefits: Labour Ministry

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India has directed the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) to cover all the casual and contractual workers employed with the municipal bodies under the ESI Act. This direction will assist lakhs of people to come under the social security cover which will include sickness, maternity, disability and dependent benefits.

These beneficiaries will be eligible to explore the medical benefits via the huge network of ESI facilities including 160 hospitals and more than 1,500 dispensaries across the country. ESIC has been assigned the work of providing the social security benefits to every casual and contractual worker with the municipal bodies in the respective governments. The notifications are issued by the states and the coverage shall be provided to all.

The central government has already issued the notification for Delhi-NCR where it is the appropriate authority. Santosh Gangwar, Minister of Labour and Employment, Government of India, said that even though lakhs of people work under the ambit of municipal bodies, the casual and contractual workers are not in the social security net which makes them vulnerable.