CASH BENEFIT TRANSFERAGAME CHANGER FOR THE BENEFICIA ES

wholeheartedly by the service providers which ltselfcalls tor attitudinal t,;hallge from "Nothing
1I1J Ul')' to

workers

Ti II

2009, the long ferm

benefits which were payable to the workers and to their family members, namely, disablement benefits and dependent benetit(a fonnofpension scheme) on montllly basis were paid in cash for wluch such beneficiaries have necessalily to travel all the way to various offices of ES IC in persons to receive such payments. Keeping in \'iew the long distances they have to travel. the inconvenient,;e and possible harassment by the service proviJers. a decision was taken during 2010 by the Corporation to go for the user friendly measure b) uU't:etoansfer of ,c.bh benefit to the accounts of the beneficiaries. At the initial stage, dlere was resistance from various trade unions and individual workers due to non receipt of hard cash in handl possible inconvenience and Jilother reason was most of such beneficiaries were not having bank accounts. A persistent effort was made through officers anu staff uf ESIC

can be done. to, it can be done" .

While Central Govt. i'snow talking of cash transfer, it is definitely gratifying rather proud moment to be involved in such a During the last few task which is already in days, there has been force in one of the now of news both in biggest Social Security e1ectronic and new Scheme of Govt. of media about cash India i.e. Employees' onusf",rinvolving various State Insurance Scheme \\elfare s<.;hemes of being administered Govt of India 111emain under ;-"Iinistry of objective of the said Labour & Employment cash transfer is to ensure Govt. of India. To go o'ansfer 01 cash to bank by the statistics. today accounts ofbeneliciaries the Scheme has a through the use of membership of 1.90 AADHAR nwnber so as crores insured persons to dchle\ e three (workers of fa(,;turyl objectives, namely, (i) establi~entwhostaud Removal of covered under ESTAct) Malpractices. (ii) with a total number of Reducing leakage and approximately 6 crores importantly, (iii) by including family Economy in expenditure members as may be linked with two known to the readers objecti\ e;; already ESI Scheme which is a brought out herein Social Security Keeping in \ lew the Legislation providing for huge illiteracy and lack medical care. and cash of bank accounts. tlus is benefi ts in tht definitely a big challenge contingencies of for the various sickness, nHtternity, func tiollaries of the disablement and death Govt buttfimplemellted due to employment

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particularly, tield officers to convince beneficiaries the benefit<; of such transfer of cash l1enefits to their accounts. that they do not h:l\'e to come in person to office and, that in absence of any interface with staff members, possibility of harassment. corrupt practices stand removed. Another major effort was made in contacting State bank of India and banks like Union Bank of India in

opening no-frills bank accounts for beneficiaries of the scheme by producing identity cards/ Pehehan Cards issued by ESI Corporation
which has 'support from the ESIC Branch Managers located in field offices Ths was a great success in that

today almost 1,98,0001 - beneficiaries drawing Permanent Disahlement Benefit (FOB) and about 80.000 families drawing Dependent Benefit(DB) are getting benefits directly transferred to their bank accounts. This has brought out not only smiles in their faces particularly, the aged population of beneficiaties but also one significant faUout of this bank account transfer is found to be increase in saving habits and possible contribution to the national economy besides financial identity in the society. Keeping in yiew the great success of this transfer of cash benefit to bank accounts, it is proposed to make all

remaining cash b~llt'jjts payments to h:lJlk accounts by the el;d ot thi~CUil"t'm TIi':U'ci,l! \'~~J1 St:cct":' ,1h''',)'" de r end" " 11 .'!) . I)perntioll "t r'tll recipient llf <;n,in~

and as we lJ as
providers effect. responded

:-t'n, Jec

and tt) [hi~ all hJvc

ro:iti';dy and henCe. hellcfit ha\.e directly re:lchin~

the target group. 1llis is nne c'f ,he ,=!".)(j practices whiLlJ ha~ resulted III LSI Corporatioll reCUpl!ZcJ for good pructil:t d\\'<JrJ ofIJlternatil1Jl~! ~(1C!:l\ Seclll'i ty .'\ S.,i)\ i1:.Jl]~

rrSSA
recently.

C;-,.

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IB,K.SA Hr)
INSlJRANCF

COM!\tHSSIONER,

hmpJoyecs' State Insurance

CeE!! Ilk

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