Parliament Question: Upgradation of ESI Hospitals

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3823 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026 UPGRADATION OF ESI HOSPITALS 3823. SHRI RAJESH NARANBHAI CHUDASAMA: Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether there is any plan to upgrade Employees' State Insurance (ESI) hospitals into multi-speciality facilities in the country to reduce dependence on private empanelled hospitals and enhance healthcare for workers and if so, the details thereof; (b) the manner in which the Government plans to utilise unused land adjoining ESI hospital buildings for infrastructure development, particularly in Gujarat; (c) the details of the measures taken by the Government to ensure adequate qualified staff and state-of-the-art facilities in ESI hospitals for specialised care; (d) the manner in which the Government plans to ease the burden on general hospitals by expanding ESI hospital services and capacities; and (e) the details of the steps taken/being taken by the Government to simplify the process of accessing medical care for workers holding ESI cards? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE) (a) to (e): In order to provide good quality medical services to its beneficiaries, Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) is continuously making efforts to develop in - house specialty and super- specialty services by incorporating modern technologies in ESI hospitals itself. Some of the measures taken are enhancement of bed strength, procurement of advanced medical equipments, establishing the intensive care unit (ICU) / high dependency unit (HDU) facilities as per ESIC guidelines, establishing new hospitals, use of unused land for upgradation and expansion of hospital infrastructure as per needs and demands, upgradation of user-friendly app for OPD appointments in order to streamline registration, reduce waiting time, and enhance patient convenience etc. Contd..2/-:: 2 :: The major steps taken by ESIC to simplify the access of medical care for ESI card holders are as under: (i) An upgraded, user-friendly ESIC Heath Connect (AAA+) App has been made available for Insured Persons (IPs) and beneficiaries, enabling self-registration for OPD appointments. (ii) Collaboration with Ayushmaan Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (PMJAY) to provide secondary and tertiary care medical services to ESI beneficiaries through PMJAY empanelled hospitals in the country at places where ESI medical services are not adequately available. (iii) Enhancement of rates of benefits for Permanent Disablement Benefit (PDB) / Dependents’ Benefits (DB) Beneficiaries. (iv) Aadhar based authentication of IPs and beneficiaries on voluntary basis has been adopted for providing social security benefits, including medical and cash benefits to beneficiaries. (v) For providing hassle - free services to Insured Persons (IPs) / Insured Women (IW), an online portal / facility has been started for submission of cash benefits claims under ESI scheme. Recruitment of doctors and staff in ESI hospitals is a continuous process. ESIC has recently issued offer of appointment to 388 selected candidates for joining the post of IMO Gr-II in various ESIC Institutions across the country. ESIC has also recruited 2047 Nursing Officers. Further, offer of appointment have been issued to 223 candidates for the post of Assistant Professor in various specialties. *****