10 New ESIC Medical Colleges to be established by government

The Labour and Employment Ministry announced on Tuesday that the Union government would establish ten new ESIC medical colleges and prolong the jobless benefit program for ESI Corporation members until June 2026.

According to a ministry release, Mansukh Mandaviya, the minister of labor and employment, made a number of significant announcements during an ESI Corporation meeting that will further enhance the ESIC's medical facilities and infrastructure.

Mandaviya declared that ten new ESIC Medical Colleges would be opening in different parts of the nation. According to the ministry, this choice will reinforce the prime minister's pledge to create 75,000 new medical seats over the course of the following five years during his speech on Independence Day (2024). 

He has granted Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojna an additional two years, beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2026. The 2018 program aims to offer assistance in the form of an Unemployment Allowance to covered individuals as they look for new employment opportunities.

Additionally, it was planned to offer medical care to ESIC beneficiaries as part of a pan-Indian convergence initiative between ESIC and Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). For ESIC covered individuals, there will be no spending cap in PMJAY-empanelled hospitals.

The government's ongoing attempts to increase access to medical education and give workers social security are reflected in these projects. Ten new ESIC medical colleges would be established in line with the objective of adding 75,000 more medical seats, which is an essential first step in resolving India's scarcity of medical professionals. In order to help unemployed workers bridge the gap while looking for new jobs, the Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojna would be extended. For ESIC beneficiaries, the convergence with AB-PMJAY improves access to healthcare even further.