Employees’ State Insurance Scheme of India is a multi-dimensional Social Security Scheme tailored to provide Socio-economic protection to the 'employees' in the organized sector against the events of sickness, maternity, disablement and death due to employment injury and to provide medical care to the insured employees and their families.
The scheme provides full medical care to the employee registered under the ESI Act, 1948 during the period of his incapacity, restoration of his health and working capacity. It provides financial assistance to compensate the loss of his/ her wages during the period of his abstention from work due to sickness, maternity and employment injury. The scheme provides medical care to his/her family members also.
The ESI Scheme is administered by a statutory corporate body called the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), which has members representing Employers, Employees, the Central Government, State Government, Medical Profession and the Hon’ble Members of Parliament.
Director General is the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation and is also an ex-officio member of the Corporation
At the National level, the Standing Committee (a representative body of the Corporation) for administering the affairs of the Corporation, and the Medical Benefit Council, a specialized body that advises the Corporation on administration of Medical Benefit, are functioning.
At the Regional Level, the Regional Boards and Local Committees have been constituted to review the functioning of the scheme and make suggestions for its improvement. In addition to above, Hospital Development Committees have been set up for improvement of hospital and State Executive Committee for monitoring the performance of ESIS Hospitals and Dispensaries in a given State/UT
The ESI scheme is a self financing scheme. The ESI funds are primarily built out of contribution from employers and employees payable monthly at a fixed percentage of wages paid. The State Governments also bear 1/8th share of the cost of Medical Benefit.