SPREE scheme implemented for the welfare of workers

A special initiative by the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation to expand social security coverage – Manoj Kumar
Bangalore, July 18, (Karnataka Information) :
A Press Conference/Meet has been held on dated 18.7.2025 at ESIC, Regional Office, Bengaluru under the chairmanship of Sh. Manoj Kumar, Regional Director, ESI, Corporation, Bengaluru along with Sh. Asarda Kishore, Joint Director I/c , ESIC, Sub Regional Office, Peenya and Smt. Kanithaselvi A. S., Joint Director, I/c, ESIC, Sub Regional Office, Bommasandra.
During the Press Meet,  Manoj Kumar stated that ESIC is a largest Social Security Organisation in the world duly enacted through an act “Employees’  State Insurance Act, 1948” by the Parliament of India. Which provides Medical Care and Cash Benefits in the contingencies of sickness, maternity, disablement and death due to employment injuries to the workers registered under ESI Scheme in all over India?   He stated that ESI Scheme has already been implemented in whole Karnataka state and providing social security cover to 35.00 Lakhs Insured persons and their family members totaling 140.00 Lakhs beneficiaries registered through 1.87 Lakhs employers. Sh. Asarda Kishore, Joint Director stated that the scheme has been administered in whole state through One Regional Office, Bengaluru and six Sub Regional Offices situated at Peenya, Bommasandra, Hubli, Mysuru, Mangalore and Kalaburagi.

Manoj Kumar, Regional Director further stated that  with an aim to expand the social security coverage to maximum of industrial workers, Employee State Insurance Corporation in its 196th meeting held on dated 27.6.2025  at Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Dr. Mansukh Mandavia, Hon’ble Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs and Sports, Govt. of India, a Scheme called SPREE (Scheme for Promotion of Registration of Employers and Employees) has been approved  as a special initiative offering one-time opportunity for unregistered employers and employees, including contractual and temporary workers to enroll in the ESI Scheme without facing inspections or demands for past dues. The scheme is active from 1st July, 2025 to 31st December, 2025.

The key Features of Spree 2025:
Employers can digitally register their units and employees via ESIC, Shram Suvidha and MCA Portal.
Registration will be considered valid from the date declared by the employer.
Non contribution or benefit will apply for the any period prior to registration.
No inspection or demand will be made for the pre registration period.

The scheme will eliminate the fear of retrospective penalties, legal action due to non registration and backdated dues and simplifies the registration process to promote voluntary compliance.   SPREE,2025 will remove these hurdles aiming to bring more employers and workers into the ESI fold registered during the said period and enhance access to health and social benefits being a progressive step towards a more inclusive and accessible social security system. Smt. Kanithaselvi A. S. stated that ESIC is always remain committed to strengthening its outreach and fulfilling its mandate of universal social protection, aligning with the vision of a welfare-centric labour ecosystem in India.

During the interaction with the print media, Sh. Manoj Kumar informed the media that the ESI Corporation has also launched/approved a one time “AMNESTY SCHEME, 2025” to resolve disputes and encourage compliance with the ESI Act during its 196th meeting offering a window for dispute resolution from 1st Oct, 2025 to 30th Sept, 2026 with an aim to reduce litigation by providing a mechanism for mutual settlements, promoting ease of doing business and fostering goodwill among the employers.

He also informed regarding Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme recently approved by the Govt of India to support employment generation, enhance employability and social security across all sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sectors.  Under this scheme, the first time employees registered with EPFO will get one month wages upto Rs. 15,000.00 and the employers will be given incentives for a period to two years for generating additional employment for Rs. 1000.00-Rs. 3,000.00 monthly incentives per new employee with extended benefits for another two years for the manufacturing sector. The benefits of ELI Scheme would be applicable to jobs created between 1st August, 2025 to 31st July, 2027.

During the press meet, Sh. Darbara Singh, Deputy Director (PR),  Sh. Sunil Kumar Mehto and Sh. Manish Gupta, Joint Directors. Sh. Vinod Kharkwal, Executive Engineer Sh. Abhishek Kumar Singh, Sh. Mahesh Pandey, Sh. Sang Priya Anand, Deputy Directors, along with other officers were present.