India provides ESIC health security to 25 crore people

Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) is providing health security to approximately 25 crore people across India. Speaking at the CII-EFI National Conference on Industrial Relations and Labour & Awards 2026 in New Delhi, Mandaviya highlighted the scale of the government’s social security and welfare initiatives.

In addition to ESIC coverage, the minister noted that 80 crore people receive free food grains and 10 crore farmers receive Rs 2,000 every four months via direct bank transfers. He also mentioned that 10 states currently provide monthly financial assistance to women.

Mandaviya emphasized the need to balance international labour frameworks with India’s specific social and economic contexts. He urged state governments to assess the utilization of labour welfare cess funds and evaluate the impact of the Labour Codes one year after their implementation to ensure effective execution and long-term worker welfare.