State proposes 4 new ESI hospitals

Proposed hospitals, if approved, will be set up at Balasore, Paradip, Berhampur and Jeypore 

BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to provide advanced healthcare facilities, the State Government has proposed to the Centre to establish four new hospitals under the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Corporation in Balasore, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam and Koraput districts. 


While the State has five ESI hospitals, two more at Duburi in Jajpur district and Angul have been approved by the Centre. Along with the hospitals, the Labour Department is also planning to extend ESI medical facilities to 10 more districts. The facilities are now available in 20 districts. 


Labour Commissioner Roopa Mishra said the proposal for four new hospitals is pending with the Centre. ‘’The proposed hospitals, if approved, will be set up at Balasore, Paradip, Berhampur and Jeypore. We need early approval and execution of these health facilities,’’ she said.


Paradip will have a 100-bed hospital followed by 30-bed each at Balasore, Berhampur and Jeypore. The hospitals at Duburi and Angul will have 100-bed each for which tender process has been completed.


Mishra said the construction work for the hospitals at Duburi and Angul will start soon. ‘’Initially, both the hospitals will function with 30 beds each and later, the beds will be increased in a phased manner. We hope, the hospitals will be ready by 2019,’’ she said.     


The Government has also given green signal to open 19 new dispensaries. As of now, there are 50 dispensaries, five hospitals and two annexes with 297 beds and one Specialist Centre spreading over 20 districts to provide medical benefits to 13,17,600 beneficiaries including family members.


Apart from the ESI hospitals and dispensaries, the Corporation has tied up with 15 private hospitals in the State to provide cash-less treatment to beneficiaries. One Ayurvedic clinic and one homoeopathic clinic are also functioning at Choudwar and Bhubaneswar.


Meanwhile, the ESIC has raised its wage ceiling of beneficiaries by 40 per cent considering the increase in minimum wages by the Government. The monthly wage threshold has been hiked to `21,000 from `15,000 per month to make the health insurance more inclusive. 


The Corporation has also introduced a scheme to promote registration of employers/employees who are coverable under the ESI Act. It is an one-time drive to extend the social security benefits to all eligible employees who have been kept out of ESI coverage. The window for registration is open till March 31.

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