Plan to bring domestic workers under ESI fold: Bandaru Dattatreya

HYDERABAD: Labour ministry will soon launch a social security scheme for domestic workers on pilot basis in Delhi and Hyderabad as part of government’s commitment to provide health insurance for all, Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya said on Sunday.

“We will roll out a new scheme to bring domestic workers under the ESI fold. This scheme intends to provide ESI facilities to domestic workers. Employers need to contribute Rs 200 monthly towards this scheme that will enable medical facilities for domestic workers,” Dattatreya said here.

“We have decided to start the scheme soon as pilot project in Delhi and Hyderabad ... we will involve NGOs also besides will talk to state governments to make the scheme better,” the Union minister said, adding that medical insurance will also cover domestic workers’ family.

Reiterating government’s commitment to bring all the unorganised sector workers under social security schemes, he said the process has begun to include around five crore construction workers to provide them with EPF and ESI facilities.