A study on the working of the Employees' State Insurance Corporation

Abstract

A Study on the Working of the Employees State Insurance Corporation has been undertaken to examine the various aspects of the working of the Employees State Insurance (ESI) Corporation related to the administration and execution of the ESI Scheme in Kerala.The study has examined the effectiveness of the benefits provided by the Corporation to the insured persons under the ESI Scheme, the working of the machinery for the administration of the ESI scheme, the fund management of the Corporation for the ESI Scheme and has put forward proposals so as to make the functioning of the Corporation more effective. The study covers a period of 10 years from 1994-95 to 2003-04. Both primary and secondary data were used in the study. The primary data were collected from the respondents (300 insured persons from 100 enterprises covered under the ESI Scheme) based on structured interview schedule. Multistage sampling frame work was followed for selecting the respondents for the study. The secondary data were collected from the publications of the ESI Corporation, reports, books and periodicals. The data collected were suitably classified and analysed keeping in view the objectives of the study. On the basis of the findings of the study, it is deduced that the ESI Corporation is not keen on giving adequate information to the insured persons and employers about the ESI Scheme, the quality of medical care provided to the insured persons through the ESI dispensaries and hospitals is rather poor, the amount of cash benefit is meager, there is delay in disbursement of cash benefits, the insured persons do not get the services of the administrative staff for availing of the benefits, the working of the machinery of the Corporation for the administration of the ESI Scheme is not up to the expectations of the insured persons and employers, due concern is not given to them while taking decisions related to the administration of the ESI Scheme, the Corporation gives importance to the raising of funds targeting only the insured persons.