The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has recently credited 8.15% interest in over 24 crore accounts, providing a significant boost to its beneficiaries. The EPFO has also launched an outreach programme at the district level on the 27th of every month, aiming to guide members and address their queries. Additionally, the Ministry of Labour and Employment revealed that the organisation introduced the Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0 programme on 27 January, 2023, across all 692 districts in India.
In a bid to enhance member experience, the EPFO has released FAQs on the implementation of higher pension and undertook key reforms, such as the introduction of an e-Passbook, reduction in administrative charges, and simplified monthly electronic challan-cum-return. These initiatives aim to provide ease and transparency to its beneficiaries.
The Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) also made significant strides, expanding its coverage to 611 districts, including Lakshadweep, with a network of 161 hospitals and 1,574 dispensaries. The ESIC has increased the number of Insured Persons (IPs) to over 3.72 crore, providing social security to more than 12 crore beneficiaries. In a major initiative, the ESIC introduced chemotherapy services in 38 of its hospitals with 100 beds or more across the country for cancer treatment.
Historically, the ESIC has been actively improving medical infrastructure, with an increase in the number of medical colleges, MBBS seats, and MD/MS seats to provide enhanced medical services to its beneficiaries. The ESIC has also introduced initiatives such as “Kahin bhi, kabhi bhi” for referrals, home delivery of medicines, telemedicine, and a 5G Ambulance service for advanced patient care.
Moreover, the eShram portal, the National Database for unorganised workers, has seen an increase in registration of unorganised workers, reaching a total of approximately 29.23 crore workers by December 2023. The portal has also been integrated with various other schemes, providing a comprehensive platform for unorganised workers.
Additionally, the National Career Service (NCS) platform boasts more than 3.64 crore registered jobseekers, 19.15 lakh employers, and over 1.92 crore vacancies, showcasing the significant impact of its launch in 2015. The portal has registered an unprecedented 13.49 lakh active vacancies during November 2023.
Overall, these developments highlight the EPFO and ESIC’s commitment to providing social security and enhanced services to their beneficiaries, ensuring a more inclusive and supportive ecosystem for all members.
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