Like most of the social security schemes, the World over ESI Scheme is a self financing Insurance Scheme taking care of health hazards and other risks of the low paid employees covered under the scheme . Contributions are raised from covered Employers and their Employees as fixed percentage of wages. At present the Employee�s contribute 1.75% of their wages while the Employer contributes 4.75% of the wages payable to the Employees. Employees whose average daily wages during the wage period is less than Rs.50.00 a day are exempted from paying employees� share of contribution in the concerned wage period.

A per capita ceiling of Rs.900.00 per Insured Person per annum has been fixed as expenditure on medical benefit. E.S.I. Corporation and the State Govt. share of expenditure on medical benefit at a ratio of 7:1 as per agreement and excess expenditure beyond the ceiling is borne by the State Govt.

E.S.I. Corporation recently has introduced Identity Cards with family photographs of Insured Persons for smooth administration of Medical Benefits in the E.S.I. Dispensaries and Hospitals.

To bring on more and more employees under the umbrella of E.S.I. Scheme, extensive survey is being carried within 8 to 10 Kms. of the ESI dispensaries.

To compensate the erosion in monetary value of PDB & DB periodical enhancement is granted in terms of percentage of original daily rate.

Cash Benefit is paid at the Branch Offices in Cash/Money Order/ Cheque at the option of the Insured Persons/beneficiaries. The Money Order commission is borne by the E.S.I. Corporation. Cash Benefit exceeding Rs.2,000.00 is paid through account payee Cheque/demand draft or by money-order only.

The family members not residing with the Insured Person at the work place are entitled to receive medical benefit if they reside in any implemented area in the State and separate family Identity Card is issued exclusively for family members.

To cater to the needs of the Insured Persons and family members, a Model Hospital fully founded by the E.S.I. Corporation has been stated w.e.f 1.05.2003. at Rourkela.