Monitor News Bureau
Jammu, Feb 5: In a significant decision aiming to promote the welfare of the employees/workforce, the Administrative Council which met under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, G C Murmu accorded sanction to the formation of J&K Employees Insurance Society under Employees Insurance Act 1948.
The Society upon registration will serve as a managerial and health care body to provide for effective administration and management of insurance health facilities and insurance benefits to around 2.95 lakh insured persons under the Employees Insurance Scheme. The decision will help to enhance the number of insured persons to nearly 6 lakh persons.
The Society will have the mandate to formulate policies for code of conduct, capacity building and other training programmes for medical/para medical staff. Besides, it shall undertake measures to generate awareness among the employers and the employees so that more and more employees/workers can be brought under the Scheme. Moreover, the Society will be a self-reliant body in terms of staff as it will be able to hire the staff as per requirement.
The Scheme is being implemented by the Employees Insurance Corporation through the Labour Department covering industrial workers and their families, other establishments like shops, hotels, restaurants, transport and newspaper, cinemas, educational institutions (public, private, aided) run by individuals, trustees, societies, private hospitals, nursing homes etc.
After the registration of the Society, the Employees Insurance Corporation (EIC) will shift from treasury model to Society model thereby, not only easing the process of seeking funds from the Government of India but increase in the inflow of funds which will not be lapsable. The Corporation will be better equipped to purchase standard quality medicines for insured persons and will pave way for opening up of new dispensaries across J&K.
With Wednesday’s decision, the existing eight dispensaries of Employees Insurance Corporation at Rangreth, Khonmoh, Bagh-i-Ali Mardan Khan, Zainakote in Kashmir and Talab Tilo, Kathua, Bari Brahmana and Digiana in Jammu will get further strengthened in terms of staff and equipment thereby enabling these dispensaries to provide better healthcare services.
