BENGALURU: Employees of the Employees’ State Insurance Scheme Medical Services (ESISMS) Department have urged the Karnataka government to release pending September salaries and establish a permanent financial mechanism to prevent recurring delays.
In a letter to the government, the employees said the Finance Department had stopped the annual budget grant to the department from the 2026-27 financial year following the formation of the Karnataka Employees’ State Insurance Society. Salary payments are now dependent on funds received from the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), resulting in repeated delays, they said.
The employees said the state government had previously provided annual budget grants to meet the salaries and establishment expenses of permanent officers and staff appointed to provide medical services to ESI beneficiaries. Under the revised arrangement, however, funds received from the ESIC are deposited with the society and released for salary payments.
According to the letter, similar delays occurred in March and April 2026. The employees said many Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) in ESI hospitals and clinics were unable to submit salary bills to the treasuries within the stipulated time due to a lack of funds.
They also expressed concern that contractual employees appointed by the society were reportedly receiving their salaries on time, while permanent state government employees working in the department faced repeated delays.