196th Meeting of ESIC at Shimla

Current Context: The 196th Meeting of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) was chaired by Union Labour Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on June 27, 2025, in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.

Several key reforms were approved to enhance social security and healthcare delivery:

Major Decisions:

SPREE Scheme Relaunched: Scheme to Promote Registration of Employers/Employees will run from July 1 to December 31, 2025, targeting unregistered employers and left-out workers (including contractual staff).
Amnesty Scheme 2025: A one-time dispute resolution window from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, allowing withdrawal of old litigation cases and promoting voluntary compliance.
Simplified Damages Framework: Replaces graded penalties with a flat 1% per month rate (down from 25% per annum), easing compliance and reducing disputes.
Revised AYUSH Policy 2023: Integrates Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy into ESIC healthcare, including hiring of Yoga therapists and Panchakarma staff.
Pilot with Charitable Hospitals: To improve access in underserved areas, ESIC will partner with charitable hospitals for OPD to emergency care.

Question:

Q.1 What is the full form of SPREE Scheme, recently relaunched during the 196th ESIC meeting?
a) Scheme for Promotion of Retirement and Employee Engagement
b) Scheme to Promote Registration of Employers/Employees
c) Scheme for Pension Reform and Employer Enrollment
d) Special Programme for Re-employment and Economic Empowerment

Answer: b) SPREE stands for Scheme to Promote Registration of Employers/Employees, aiming to register left-out workers and employers, including contract staff.