Industry chamber opposes merger of ESIC regional office

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 5

The Northern Chamber of Small and Medium Industries has opposed the merger of ESIC Sub-Regional Office (SRO) at Jalandhar with its office in Ludhiana.

In a representation to Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, president of the chamber Sharad Aggarwal said, “SRO Jalandhar is currently catering to eight districts, including Jalandhar, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran and Pathankot. The present strength of insured persons is approximately 2.5 lakh and nearly 9.5 lakh beneficiaries are getting services from SRO, Jalandhar.”

“In case SRO, Jalandhar, is shifted to Ludhiana, the insured persons will have to travel to Ludhiana for getting the benefits and redressal of queries. This will increase the travel time and inconvenience. Maternity benefits which are being provided by the ESIC consist of periodical cash payments in case of confinement or miscarriage or sickness arising out of pregnancy, confinement, premature birth of child or miscarriage, to an insured woman as certified by a duly-appointed medical officer or midwife. If SRO, Jalandhar, is shifted to Ludhiana, insured women will have to face many difficulties to get these benefits,” he added.

Besides, SRO,Jalandhar,is catering to more than 7,000 employers. Having an SRO at Jalandhar leads to prompt clearance of cases, he has written.

The employers will have to go to Ludhiana for personal hearing and for claims and also for getting clarifications on various issues concerning them, Aggarwal has put his point.

He has further written, “There is a proposal pending for Model Hospital at Jalandhar ESIC with Ministry of Labour and Employment level since long. It is requested that this may be expedited quickly. Also, there has been great improvement in the working of the hospital after opening the SRO with effect from February 2011. It is apprehended that in case the SRO is shifted from Jalandhar, the condition of the ESIC Hospital in Jalandhar may go down.”

In the copy of representation, which has been marked to the PMO, Union MoS Vijay Sampla and Raj Kumar, Director General (ESIC), the chamber head mentions, “There is a great scope for expansion of business units in Jalandhar and it is expected that more insured persons and employers would come under the ambit of ESIC, in case the services are given at the doorstep. Jalandhar is the hub of hand tools industry, sports industry, leather industry and pipe-fitting industry and there is a great scope of expansion of these industries.”