Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Nov 4: Dakshina Kannada MP Brijesh Chowta has appealed to union minister for labour and employment Mansukh Mandaviya to expedite the approval process for the nominated members of the newly formed Karnataka ESI Society. This move, he stated, would pave the way for the formal transfer of the Mangaluru ESI Hospital to the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).
In a letter addressed to the Union Minister, Chowta noted that he had earlier urged the state government to establish the ESI Society to strengthen the functioning of ESI hospitals in Karnataka. Responding positively to his request, the state government has now formed the Karnataka ESI Society and nominated its members, forwarding the list for approval to the central government.
Chowta requested that the approval for the nominated members be granted at the earliest, enabling the Karnataka ESI Society to commence its operations. This, he said, would facilitate the formal takeover of Mangaluru’s ESI Hospital by ESIC, ensuring better administration and healthcare services for insured workers.
The MP recalled that in February this year, he met ESIC Director General Ashok Kumar Singh in Delhi to discuss issues concerning the 100-bed ESI Hospital in Mangaluru. During that meeting, officials informed him that the creation of a separate ESI Society by the state government was essential to streamline ESI-related operations, ensure efficient fund management, and coordinate with the central government. The society would serve as an administrative body overseeing all ESI-related activities and fund distribution in the state.
Once the ESI hospitals come directly under ESIC’s control, they can ensure more efficient administration, proper management, and high-quality healthcare for beneficiaries, Chowta emphasized.
Following this, Chowta had urged Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad to take prompt action toward establishing the ESI Society. Subsequently, in May, a high-level team from ESIC headquarters in Delhi visited the ESI Hospital at Shivabagh, Mangaluru, to assess its facilities and challenges. The team also assured support for upgrading the hospital and improving its infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Mangaluru South MLA Vedavyas Kamath had also met Labour Minister Santosh Lad, urging him to expedite the formation of the society.
Owing to the persistent efforts of MP Brijesh Chowta, the process of constituting the Karnataka ESI Society and nominating suitable members has now reached its final stage. Once operational, the society is expected to enhance the quality of healthcare facilities at ESI hospitals, benefiting underprivileged and working-class families in Mangaluru.