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Ministry of Labour & Employment
Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)
Commences 75th Foundation Year Celebrations
Health is our mission, and service is our tradition: Union
Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya
Labour Codes Strengthen Healthcare Provisions for Workers’
Welfare, says Dr. Mandaviya; highlights provision for free
annual health check-up through ESIC for workers aged 40
years and above
ESIC should emerge as a global example of health security:
Dr. Mandaviya
Commemorative Coin, Coffee Table Book Released as ESIC
Marks 75 Years of Service to Nation
MoUs Signed Between ESIC–NHA and ESIC–NABL to
Strengthen Healthcare Delivery and Quality Standards
Posted On: 24 FEB 2026 6:55PM by PIB Delhi
The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) today commenced the celebration of its 75th Year of
Service at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, marking over seven decades of dedicated service to workers and
their families across the country. Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Labour & Employment and
Youth Affairs & Sports, delivered the keynote address at the event.Shri N. K. Premachandran, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Ms. Vandana Gurnani, Secretary, Ministry
of Labour & Employment; Shri Ramesh Krishnamurthi, Central Provident Fund Commissioner,
Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO); Ms. Michiko Miyamoto, Director of the International
Labour Organisation (ILO) Decent Work Technical Support Team for South Asia and Country Office for
India, and senior officers of the Ministry of Labour & Employment, ESIC and EPFO, were also present on
the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya described the institution’s journey as a remarkable
example of growth, reform and service to the nation. He noted that ESIC began its journey in 1952 with
around 1.2 lakh beneficiaries and a single dispensary, and has today expanded to serve more than 15 crore
beneficiaries through a vast network of 166 hospitals, 17 medical colleges and nearly 1,600 dispensaries.
Comparing ESIC’s evolution to the growth of a child into a mature and responsible member of society,
Union Minister said the organisation has continuously reformed and strengthened itself in response to
changing times, emerging today as a robust pillar of social security in the country.Highlighting the importance of commitment and determination in achieving success, Dr. Mandaviya
emphasized that ESIC must continue to adopt a reform-and-perform approach and take collective
“sankalps” in its 75th year to further improve service delivery. Stressing the need to ensure availability of
medicines, equipment and doctors across all hospitals, he called for minimizing referrals by strengthening
in-house facilities and ensuring that staff members are delivering their duties with due diligence. He
underlined that in India, “Swasthya hi seva hai, aur seva hi hamara sanskar hai” (“Health is our mission,
and service is our tradition”) and urged all medical professionals and officers to uphold discipline and
honour the trust of the people of our country. He also stated that ESIC’s standards should aspire to match
premier institutions like All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
The Union Minister highlighted the provision in the Labour Codes for mandatory health check-ups for all
workers above 40 years of age, noting that this would contribute to strengthening worker welfare and
creating a protected workforce. Concluding his address, Dr. Mandaviya called upon all stakeholders to
work collectively to make ESIC a global example of health security, underlining that a "New Bharat” is
being built through collective effort, dedication and teamwork.
In her address, Secretary (Labour and Employment), Ms. Vandana Gurnani, stated that over the past 75
years, ESIC has grown from strength to strength, emerging as a cornerstone of India’s social security
architecture. She emphasised that a healthy, protected and satisfied workforce is inherently moreproductive and contributes more effectively to the nation’s economic growth. She underlined that in
treating an Insured Person (IP), ESIC is not merely addressing disease, but preventing poverty, protecting
the breadwinners of families, and thereby actively contributing to nation-building.
Stressing that healthcare must be provided with dignity and respect to every Insured Person, she further
stated that with the implementation of the Labour Codes, ESIC’s responsibilities have expanded
significantly. These include pan-India coverage, extension of social security benefits to unorganised and
gig workers, and provision of annual health check-ups for workers above 40 years of age through ESIC
facilities. She also referred to the prestigious ISSA recognition conferred upon India at Malaysia, for
excellence in social security administration, noting that ESIC has played a significant role in this
achievement.
In recognition of the Platinum Jubilee, a Commemorative Coin of denomination marking ESIC@75 was
formally released, symbolizing the Corporation’s remarkable 75-year journey of service to the nation,
along with the launch of the ESIC@75 Coffee Table Book showcasing its legacy, milestones, and
transformative initiatives. The Swasthya Rath Initiative was also launched to strengthen outreach and
bring healthcare services closer to beneficiaries. In addition, Annual Health Check-up Camps were rolled
out in alignment with the provisions of the Labour Codes to promote preventive healthcare and facilitate
early detection of occupational diseases among workers aged 40 years and above.
An MoU was signed between the National Health Authority and the Employees’ State Insurance
Corporation for convergence of the ESI Scheme with the Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya
Yojana (AB PM-JAY), aimed at strengthening coordinated healthcare delivery and expanding access to
quality services. The MoU was signed by Shri Sanjay Mehrishi, Joint Secretary, NHA, and Shri Ashok
Kumar, Director General, ESIC. Another MoU was signed between ESIC and the National Accreditation
Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to promote quality assurance and accreditation
across ESIC healthcare facilities. The agreement was signed by Dr. Ramanand N. Shukla, CEO, NABL,
and Dr. R. Srinivasan, Medical Commissioner (MS), ESIC, with the objective of strengthening laboratory
services and ensuring adherence to national quality standards.
During the event, Best Performance Awards were presented to outstanding field formations and medical
institutions of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation. The awards underscore ESIC’s commitment to
excellence in service delivery and healthcare administration nationwide.An exhibition was held during the event showcasing the genesis and evolution of the ESIC, highlighting
its contributions to labour welfare and social security. It also underscored ESIC’s future-ready role under
the Labour Codes, emphasizing expanded coverage, improved service delivery, and technology-driven
transformation for a stronger social protection framework.
The programme featured two panel discussions on the themes “Reaching the Unreached – New Vistas
under the Code on Social Security” and “New Models for Scalability and Reach of Medical Care.” The
first session brought together experts from the International Labour Organization, V. V. Giri National
Labour Institute, and the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation to deliberate on expanding and
strengthening social security coverage. The second session, with eminent professionals associated with the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation, and the World Health
Organization, focused on innovative and scalable models to enhance the reach, accessibility, and quality of
healthcare services.
The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation will observe a Special Services Fortnight from 24th February
to 10th March 2026 across all its field offices, hospitals, and medical institutions nationwide. The
initiative aims to enhance outreach and bring healthcare, social security, and welfare services closer to
insured workers. Activities will include seminars, awareness and hygiene camps, basic life support
training, cleanliness drives, and daily health check-up camps for insured persons aged 40 years and above
for early detection of occupational diseases in line with Labour Code provisions. Preventive screenings,yoga and AYUSH camps, grievance redressal sessions, and special drives for expeditious settlement of
pending claims and bills will also be undertaken to strengthen service delivery and beneficiary
satisfaction.
Observed annually on 24th February, ESIC Foundation Day commemorates the establishment of the
Employees’ State Insurance Corporation in 1952 under the Employees’ State Insurance Act, one of India’s
earliest social security legislations for workers. Launched in Kanpur and Delhi, the ESI Scheme has since
expanded to 713 districts across 36 States and Union Territories, emerging as a cornerstone of social
security by providing healthcare and financial protection to millions of beneficiaries. The 75th Foundation
Day observance reaffirms ESIC’s steadfast commitment to worker welfare and its continued evolution as a
modern, compassionate, and responsive social security institution. Over the past 75 years, ESIC has
significantly transformed India’s social protection landscape by providing comprehensive medical care,
cash benefits, pensions, and support during sickness, maternity, disability, employment injury and
unemployment—thereby contributing to the vision of a healthy, secure, and empowered workforce for a
Viksit Bharat.
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Rini Choudhury/Anjelina Alexande
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