ESIC Scheme Registered New Subscriber Base of 13 Lakh In August: Check Report

During the month of August, the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) reported a total of 13,33,584 newly registered employees & Age paying contributions. According to payroll reporting data of the National Statistical Office (NSO), the overall "number of newly registered employees & paying contribution throughout the month" with the ESIC in August was 13,22,530, slightly higher than the previous month's figure of 13,33,584. The ESI scheme has also registered 5,56,34,199 new subscribers during September 2017 and August 2021.

The ESI Act is applicable to all non-seasonal factories employing 10 or more workers, according to Section 2(12). Section 1(5) of the Act extends coverage to shops, hotels, restaurants, movie theaters, road-motor transport undertakings, newspaper establishments, private medical institutions, educational institutions, and contract and casual employees of municipal corporations/municipal institutions employing 10 or more individuals in certain states/UTs under the appropriate State Government.

The current wage ceiling for coverage under the Act which is in force from January 1, 2017, is Rs.21,000/- per month for individuals, and Rs.25,000/- per month for disabilities. The ESI Scheme is presently notified in 575 Districts in 35 States and Union Territories (excluding Lakshadweep Island) under Section 1(3), with 387 completely recognized districts and 188 partially recognized districts where the scheme is recognized in District Headquarters Regions and Prominent Industrial Centers.

The ESIC scheme is a contributory scheme, and the contribution payable to the Corporation in respect of an employee shall include both the employer's contribution and the employee's contribution at a defined rate. Rates are updated on a regular basis and currently, the employee contribution rate (as of 01.07.2019) is 0.75 percent of wages, while the employer contribution rate is 3.25 percent of wages paid/payable in respect of employees for each wage period.

Employees with a daily average wage of up to Rs.137/- are exempted from contributing. Employees' Provident Funds Scheme has also registered 9,18,871 new members for the month of August and during September 2017 to August 2021; 4,61,53,887 new subscribers joined the EPF scheme, according to data from the National Statistical Office under the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation.

During the month of August 2021, the number of exited members who rejoined and resubscribed is 9,54,565. According to the report of NSO released on October 25th, 2021, the National Pension Scheme (NPS) marked a total of new subscribers of 56,827 for the month of August 2021, and 28,81,457 new subscribers joined and contributed towards the NPS Central Government, State Governments, and Corporate schemes from September 2017 to August 2021.