Shillong, July 28: The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India, organised a Mega Awareness Programme in Shillong as part of ESIC’s 75th Anniversary celebrations (2026–27) under the theme “Committed to Workers’ Welfare, Social Security & Nation-Building.” The programme aimed to enhance awareness about the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme and expand social security coverage for workers across Meghalaya.
Shri Garod LSN Dykes, Secretary, Labour, Employment & Skill Development Department, Government of Meghalaya, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The programme was attended by Shri Champak Biswas, Regional Director, North Eastern Zone; Shri Pranay Sinha, Insurance Commissioner; and Shri Ahtesham, Deputy Director, ESIC, besides employers, employees, labour representatives and other stakeholders.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Garod LSN Dykes lauded ESIC’s efforts in strengthening social security coverage and healthcare services for workers in Meghalaya. He stressed the importance of increasing awareness and ensuring that every eligible worker is brought under the ambit of the ESI Scheme.
Shri Pranay Sinha, Insurance Commissioner, North Eastern Zone, ESIC, highlighted that the ESI Scheme is one of India’s most comprehensive social security frameworks, providing cashless medical care, employment injury compensation, dependants’ pension, maternity benefits and several other social security benefits.
He informed the recent approval for an ESIC Sub-Regional Office in the State during the 198th ESIC Corporation Meeting in New Delhi would further enhance service delivery and outreach. He also highlighted the Ward of Insured Person (Ward of IP) Scheme, under which children of insured persons are eligible for admission to ESIC Medical Colleges across the country against seats reserved for ESI beneficiaries.
Shri Ahtesham, Deputy Director, ESIC, said that the ESI Scheme provides comprehensive social security to more than 16,000 insured persons currently in Meghalaya, with the potential to increase coverage to around 40,000 insured persons across the State.
Efforts are underway to bring nearly 20,000 additional eligible workers under the ambit of the Scheme through extensive awareness campaigns, employer outreach initiatives and close coordination with the State Government and the Labour Department Officials.
Highlighting ESIC’s expanding footprint in the State, Shri Ahtesham said that the Corporation has established one Camp-cum-Liaison Office, two Branch Offices and four Dispensary-cum-Branch Offices (DCBOs) at Nongstoin, Khliehriat, Tura and Jowai to facilitate the delivery of medical and cash benefits. The State currently has ESI Dispensaries at Shillong in East Khasi Hills and Byrnihat in Ri-Bhoi.
Through these facilities, insured persons and their dependents have access to comprehensive medical care, cash benefits and grievance redressal services closer to their places of work and residence, thereby ensuring wider access to quality healthcare and social security benefits.
He further informed that ESIC disbursed over 1.29 crore under various cash benefit schemes in Meghalaya during 2024–25, reflecting the Corporation’s continued commitment to the welfare and social security of workers in the State.
A major highlight of the programme was the distribution of maternity benefit assistance amounting to 3.37 lakh to three insured women by the Chief Guest, reaffirming ESIC’s commitment to supporting working women through timely financial assistance.
The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from around 200 insured persons and beneficiaries, who attended the awareness sessions and availed the preventive health check-up services organised during the programme. An interactive grievance redressal session was also held, providing participants with an opportunity to share their feedback and seek clarifications regarding various provisions of the ESI Scheme across Meghalaya.
