NEW DELHI: In the ESI Corporation meeting, it was agreed to change the medical scheme so that workers can continue to pay the capped contribution no matter how high the salary is. The salary limit will also be raised from Rs 21,000 to Rs 25,000. With this, around 60 lakh people including the dependents of workers in Kerala will get the benefit. A 100-bed hospital will be set up at Perumbavoor as soon as the land is available.

In the ESI Corporation Board meeting held in Chandigarh, it was agreed to make the ESI scheme membership lifelong like the provident fund model. This is a long-standing demand of trade unions.

It will be approved in the next meeting and recommended to the central government.

The meeting chaired by Union Labor Minister Bhupender Yadav also decided to provide all statutory benefits to all contract workers of the corporation. ESIC will hold a conclave and grievance redressal forum of employee-employer, pensioners, and beneficiaries from February 24 to March 10, the foundation day. Board Member and BMS National Secretary V Radhakrishnan participated from Kerala.