Question : Wage Ceiling

(a)whether it has come to the notice of the Government that lakhs of workers and employees are ousted from the purview of ESI due to the wage ceiling and if so, the details thereof;
(b)whether the increase in wage tariff is due to the increase in price index, if so, the action taken to increase the wage ceiling corresponding to the rise in living index;
(c)whether the Government proposes to provide the benefit of ESI to all deserving classes of the workers, if so, the action taken thereon; and
(d)whether the Government proposes to formulate a committee to conduct a study to raise wage ceiling for ESI benefits and if so, the details thereof?

(a) to (d): The benefits under the Employees'' State Insurance (ESI) Act, 1948 are provided to the employees employed for wages in or in connection with the work of a factory or establishment to which this Act applies and drawing wages, not exceeding the wage limit as prescribed by the Government. The wage limit at present is Rs. 21,000/- per month.

The revision of wage ceiling is undertaken periodically from time to time. The last revision in the wage ceiling for coverage under ESI Act,1948 was done w.e.f. 01.01.2017, wherein the wage limit was raised from Rs. 15,000/- per month to Rs. 21,000/- per month.


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