West Bengal remains among the few states that have not yet notified the rules required to implement the Labour Codes at the state level. Mandaviya said once the Codes are fully implemented, workers in West Bengal will be able to access the expanded ESIC benefits framework.
This comes in the backdrop of the BJP assuming power in West Bengal after the change of guard in the recent Assembly elections.
Speaking at the launch of a nationwide free annual health check-up initiative for workers aged 40 years and above, Mandaviya said ESIC coverage has expanded significantly over the past decade, rising from around 7 crore beneficiaries to nearly 15 crore today, reflecting what he described as the steady widening of India’s social security framework.
The minister also highlighted the government’s new preventive healthcare initiative for insured workers. The programme provides free annual health check-ups for ESIC-insured workers aged 40 and above and is intended to strengthen early diagnosis and preventive healthcare among the workforce. The initiative will be implemented through ESIC hospitals and associated medical facilities across the country as part of the broader labour welfare system being modernised under the Labour Codes framework.
The system, which earlier primarily covered employees in factories and notified establishments, has gradually been extended to a much larger base of insured persons through policy changes and expanded eligibility norms.
The Code on Social Security, 2020, provides the legal framework for this expansion, broadening the scope of ESIC coverage. Under the Code, ESIC can be extended not only to traditional organised sector workers but also to additional categories of employees, including those in smaller establishments, contract-based work, and potentially gig and platform workers, subject to government notification and phased implementation.
The Code also allows the central and state governments to frame schemes to extend social security benefits, including health insurance, maternity benefits, disability coverage, and other welfare measures, through ESIC or allied mechanisms. It further provides for the creation of a Social Security Fund to support such schemes and enables gradual expansion of coverage thresholds over time.
However, the implementation of these provisions depends on states notifying their respective rules under the Labour Codes. While several states have made progress, a few — including West Bengal — are yet to complete the process, delaying the rollout of the restructured social security architecture on the ground.
Separately, Mandaviya held a meeting with Mauritius Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade Minister Dhananjay Ramful in New Delhi on Thursday, during which the two sides discussed cooperation in strengthening Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for worker welfare and employment facilitation.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Mandaviya said the discussions focused on ways to build robust digital systems that can improve access to jobs, skill development, and social security services. He noted that the Mauritian minister showed particular interest in India’s National Career Service (NCS) portal, which uses technology to connect job seekers with employers, enable career counselling, and support workforce participation through a unified digital platform.
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