In a renewed push to enhance social security outreach, the central government has formally urged state governments to intensify efforts toward the implementation of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) scheme. This directive comes amid concerns about under-enrolment in several regions, especially in semi-urban and rural industrial clusters. The Ministry of Labour emphasized that wider coverage is essential to protect the growing workforce in the unorganized and informal sectors.

As part of the strategy, states have been asked to identify non-covered establishments, create awareness drives, and deploy inspection teams to improve enrollment. Additional focus is being placed on medical infrastructure expansion, with state-level authorities expected to collaborate with ESIC to set up dispensaries, hospitals, and mobile units. The ministry highlighted that uniform implementation across all states is key to ensuring equal access to benefits like maternity support, medical aid, and compensation for workplace injuries.

Labour experts believe this step is crucial to bridging regional disparities in ESIC coverage and aligning state-level efforts with national objectives. By encouraging inter-departmental coordination, digital registration support, and monitoring, the government aims to bring millions of uncovered workers under the ESIC umbrella. The success of this push will depend heavily on how effectively state labour departments respond to the call for faster and broader inclusion.