BENGALURU: Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday inaugurated a 100-bed ESIC hospital in Doddaballapur and virtually laid the foundation stone for another similar facility in Ballari.
The Doddaballapur hospital, built at a cost of Rs 101 crore, is expected to cater to the growing industrial workforce in the region, who previously had to travel to Bengaluru for advanced treatment. The Ballari hospital, being built at a cost of Rs 150 crore, will serve nearly 1.5 lakh textile workers in the district.
Speaking at the event, Mandaviya said workers’ welfare and social security are the cornerstones of the Union government’s labour policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said ESI coverage has expanded significantly, with the number of beneficiaries rising from seven crore to 19.94 crore across the country.
The minister said the Centre has introduced four new labour codes to strengthen social security for private sector workers, ensure mandatory appointment letters and guarantee equal pay for equal work without gender discrimination. He added that even work-from-home employees have been brought under the labour law framework.
Mandaviya also announced that annual free health check-ups have been made mandatory for workers above 40 years for early detection of diseases.