Recently Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana was in the news because the Employee’s State Insurance Corporation has extended it by one year that is to 30th June, 2021. Also, the ESIC has relaxed eligibility criteria and enhanced the payment of the unemployment benefit under the Yojana (applicable from 24th March-31st December 2020).
ESI Corporation under the Chairmanship of Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Labour and Employment during the meeting has taken some important decisions for the development of the service delivery mechanism and providing relief to the workers affected due to COVID-19 pandemic.
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For availing the relief, the eligibility criteria have also been relaxed as under:
– Payment will be enhanced at 50% of average wages payable for maximum 90 days unemployment instead of earlier 25% from 24 March, 2020 to 31 December, 2020.
– Rather the relief becoming payable 90 days after unemployment, it shall become due for payment after 30 days.
– The claim can be submitted directly to ESIC Branch Office by the Insured Person instead of the claim being forwarded by the last employer and the payment shall be made directly in the bank account of the IP.
– Before his or her unemployment, the Insured Person should have been insurable employment for a minimum period of 2 years. Also, it should have contributed for not less than 78 days within the contribution period immediately preceding to unemployment and minimum of 78 days in one among the remaining 3 contribution periods in two years prior to unemployment.
Also to strengthen ICU/HDU services in the ESIC hospitals during COVID-19 pandemic, the decision has been taken to establish ICU/HDU services up to 10% of total commissioned beds in all ESIC hospitals.
About Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana
The Scheme was launched by the ESI Corporation. As per the scheme, in case the Insured Person (IP) is rendered unemployed it provides relief to the extent of 25% of the average per day earning during the previous four contribution periods is to be paid up to maximum 90 days of unemployment once in a lifetime of the IP on submission of claim in form of an Affidavit.
From 1 July, 2018, the scheme has been made effective. Initially, the scheme was implemented on a pilot basis for a period of two years.
