On August 12, Udupi Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha member Kota Srinivasa Pujari made a demand in the Lok Sabha to increase the salary limit for the Employees State Insurance (ESI) facility to Rs 35,000. This move aims to benefit poor workers employed in various public institutions. Kota Srinivasa Pujari raised this issue under Rule 377 in the Lok Sabha, emphasizing the need to raise the ESI salary limit to at least Rs 35,000. He highlighted that the ESI scheme provides good health insurance to poor workers in public sector organizations, with many families benefiting from the healthcare services offered. However, the current income limit for the ESI scheme is capped at Rs 21,000 per month. As a result, workers earning more than Rs 21,000 are deprived of ESI benefits due to the recent increase in minimum wages in government and non-government organizations. Kota Srinivasa Pujari explained that the ESI scheme is a joint effort between employees and employers, who together pay the premium, thereby not requiring any financial outlay from the central and state governments. With the minimum wage previously around Rs 25,000, he warned that failing to revise the ESI salary limit would leave many workers without medical service coverage, even with minor salary increases.
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📰 Source: Vartha Bharati Udupi