In pursuance of the powers conferred by section 4 of the Employees State Insurance Act

## Report on Amendment to the Employees State Insurance Act, 1948 **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes an amendment to the Employees State Insurance Act, 1948, specifically concerning the composition of the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). The amendment, enacted on June 23, 2021, modifies the representation of the Government of Punjab on the ESIC by substituting the entry for serial number 22 under the subheading "Appointed by the Central Government under Section 4 d". The new entry designates the "Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare, Department of Health and Family Welfare Government of Punjab" as the representative. This change likely aims to ensure appropriate representation and expertise within the ESIC related to healthcare matters within Punjab. **2. Introduction:** This report provides an informative analysis of a notification published by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on June 23, 2021, which amends a previous notification (S.O. No. 1831 E, dated May 7, 2018) related to the Employees State Insurance Act, 1948. The analysis is based solely on the provided text of the notification. **3. Policy Overview:** * This report concerns an **Amendment** to the Employees State Insurance Act, 1948, amending notification S.O. No. 1831 E, dated May 7, 2018. * **Core Objective (Inferred):** To ensure appropriate and effective representation of the Government of Punjab on the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) regarding matters related to Health and Family Welfare. **4. Background and Rationale:** * Since this is an amendment, the focus is on the reason for *this specific amendment*. The amendment likely stems from a need to update or refine the representation of the Government of Punjab within the ESIC. The change in personnel representing the department could be due to restructuring within the Punjab government or a desire to ensure the most relevant expertise is available within the ESIC. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** This section details the *specific* changes introduced by the amendment text: * **Specific Part of Original Policy Being Changed:** The amendment modifies the "Appointed by the Central Government under Section 4 d" section of the original policy (S.O. No. 1831 E, dated May 7, 2018), specifically changing entry 22. * **New Rule/Provision:** The amendment replaces the previous representative from the Government of Punjab with the "Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare, Department of Health and Family Welfare Government of Punjab." * **Difference/Effect of the Change:** The amendment replaces a previous, unspecified role/person with the Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare of Punjab. The intended effect of this change is to bring a higher level of expertise and decision-making authority from Punjab's health administration directly into the ESIC, potentially enhancing the corporation's ability to address healthcare-related issues within the state covered by the ESI Act. The previous representative is no longer holding the seat. **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** The target audience and stakeholders directly affected by this amendment include: * The Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) * The Government of Punjab, particularly the Department of Health and Family Welfare. * Employees and employers covered under the Employees State Insurance Act in Punjab. * The Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare, Department of Health and Family Welfare Government of Punjab. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible Agency/Bodies:** The Ministry of Labour and Employment is responsible for enacting and publishing the amendment. The ESIC is responsible for implementing the change in representation. * **Timelines/Procedures:** The amendment is effective from the date of notification (June 23, 2021). The ESIC would need to update its records and procedures to reflect the new representative from the Government of Punjab. **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The likely intended outcome of this amendment is to: * Improve the ESIC's understanding and responsiveness to healthcare needs and challenges within the state of Punjab. * Streamline communication and collaboration between the ESIC and the Government of Punjab on matters related to employee health and welfare. * Enhance the effectiveness of the ESIC's programs and services in Punjab by ensuring that policy decisions are informed by relevant expertise from the state's health administration. **9. Conclusion:** The amendment to the Employees State Insurance Act, 1948, detailed in this report represents a refinement of the ESIC's governance structure by updating the representation of the Government of Punjab. This change likely aims to enhance the corporation's expertise and responsiveness to healthcare-related issues within Punjab, potentially leading to more effective implementation of the ESI Act's provisions in the state. The amendment underscores the ongoing efforts to ensure that the ESIC remains relevant and effective in addressing the evolving needs of employees and employers covered under the Act.

Key Entities Referenced