ESIC Update: Eligibility Criteria Relaxed Under Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana

New Delhi: The eligibility criteria and enhancement in the payment of unemployment benefit under the  Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan yojana of Employee’s State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) have been relaxed.

Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyna Yojna of the ESIC aims to provide unemployment benefits to the workers covered under ESI Scheme.

According to PTI, the ESIC has decided to extend the scheme for one more year up to June 30, 2021. It has also relaxed the existing conditions and the amount of relief for workers who have lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

The enhanced relief under the relaxed conditions will be payable during the period March 24, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Thereafter, the scheme will be available with the original eligibility conditions during the period of January 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021. Moreover, the review of these conditions will be done after December 31, 2020 depending upon the need and demand for such a relaxed condition.

The eligibility criteria for availing the relief has also been relaxed, as under:

a) The payment of relief has been enhanced to 50% of the average wages from earlier 25% of average wages payable up to a maximum of 90 days of unemployment.

b) Instead of the relief becoming payable 90 days after unemployment, it shall become due for payment after 30 days.

c) The Insured Person (IP) can submit the claim directly to the ESIC Branch Office instead of it being forwarded by the last employer and the payment shall be made directly in the bank account of the IP.

d) The IP should have been insurable employment for a minimum period of two years before his/her employment and should have contributed for not less than 78 days in the contribution period immediately preceding to unemployment and minimum 78 days in one of the remaining 3 contribution periods in 2 years prior to unemployment.

With a view to strengthening the ICU/HDU services in ESIC hospitals amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been decided to establish ICU/HDU services up to 10% of total commissioned beds in all ESIC Hospitals.