NEW DELHI: Around 12.19 lakh new subscribers have joined the ESIC-run social security scheme in October this year as against 13.57 lakh in September, government data revealed on Friday.
According to data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), during September, 2017- October, 2021; 5,82,56,595 new subscribers joined the ESIC scheme.
During the same period, 4,79,72,153 new subscribers joined the EPF scheme and 30,23,250 new subscribers joined and contributed in the National Pension Scheme (NPS), as per the ‘Payroll Reporting in India: An Employment Perspective - October, 2021’ report.
The report is based on the number of subscribers who have subscribed under three major schemes — Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Scheme, Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme and National Pension Scheme (NPS).
The latest official data also showed that the gross new enrolments with Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) were 10.78 lakh in April, 8.91 lakh in May, 10.68 lakh in June, 13.40 lakh in July this year.
Looking at the yearly comparison, the gross enrolments of new subscribers with ESIC were 1.15 crore in 2020-21, compared to 1.51 crore in 2019-20 and 1.49 crore in 2018-19.
The report shows that net new enrolments with retirement fund body EPFO stood at 12.73 lakh in October, down from 13.97 lakh in September 2021.
The Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is a mandatory savings scheme under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, while the ESI Scheme for India is an integrated social security scheme tailored to provide socio-economic protection to the workers in the organised sector and their dependents, in contingencies, such as sickness, maternity and death or disablement due to an employment injury or occupational hazard.
Enrolment falls in 2021
Looking at the yearly comparison, the gross enrolments of new subscribers with ESIC were 1.15 crore in
2020-21, compared to 1.51 crore in 2019-20 and 1.49 crore in 2018-19.