Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana(ABVKY)

8-Aug-2022: Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana

Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana (ABVKY) is a welfare measure for the employees covered under the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Act, 1948 in the form of cash compensation up to 90 days once in lifetime of the worker in the contingency of Insured Persons’ (IPs’) unemployment.

The scheme came into force on 01.07.2018 and extended twice from 01.07.2020 to 30.06.2021 and from 01.07.2021 to 30.06.2022 in order to provide relief to those IPs who became unemployed during the Covid-19 pandemic. The eligibility and other conditions of the scheme were relaxed w.e.f. 24.03.2020 as under:-

The rate of relief under the scheme was enhanced from 25% of the average daily earnings to 50% of average daily earnings of the claimant.
The IP should have been in insurable employment for a minimum 2 years and should have contributed for not less than 78 days in the contribution period immediately preceding the unemployment and minimum 78 days in one of the remaining three contribution periods in two years prior to unemployment. Earlier, minimum contribution of 78 days in each of four contribution periods was required.
The waiting period to file the claim was reduced from 90 days to 30 days.
Mandatory filing through employer and submission of affidavit by the claimant was dispensed with.
All the Insured Persons covered under ESI Act are entitled under the scheme and no separate registration is required.

24-Mar-2021: Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana

The scheme Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana was introduced by the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) on pilot basis for a period of 2 years w.e.f. 01.07.2018 for providing relief to the Insured Persons (IPs) who have become unemployed. Under this scheme relief in the form of cash compensation to the extent of 25 per cent of the average per day earning was paid upto a maximum of 90 days of unemployment subject to conditions that the employee should have completed two years of Insurable employment and has contributed not less than Seventy-Eight (78) days in each of the four consecutive contribution periods immediately preceding to the claim of the relief.

Since its inception till 18.03.2021, a total of 43299 beneficiaries have availed relief under the scheme and an amount of Rs.57.18 crore has been disbursed.

The scheme has been extended for the period from 01.07.2020 to 30.06.2021. In order to provide benefit to the IPs who have become unemployed during Covid-19 pandemic, the rate of relief has been enhanced and the eligibility conditions have been relaxed as follows for the IPs who became unemployed from 24.03.2020 onwards:-

The rate of relief has been doubled from 25 per cent to 50 per cent average per day earning of employee.
The Insured Person should have been in insurable employment for a minimum period of two years immediately before his/ her unemployment and should have contributed for not less than 78 days in the contribution period immediately preceding the unemployment and minimum 78 days in one of the remaining three contribution periods in two years prior to unemployment. Earlier this condition was a minimum contribution of 78 days in four contribution periods prior to unemployment with minimum two years insurable employment.
Claim shall become due 30 days after date of unemployment. Earlier this period was 90 days.
The claim of the IP need not be forwarded by the employer. The claim may be submitted by an IP in the prescribed claim form duly completed online or directly to the branch office.

The following measures have been taken by the Ministry for welfare of the unemployed in the country:

The Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY) Scheme has been launched by the Government to incentivize creation of new employment along with social security benefits and restoration of loss of employment during Covid-19 pandemic. This scheme, being implemented through the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), reduces the financial burden of the employers of various sectors/industries including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and encourages them to hire more workers. Under ABRY, the government is crediting for a period of two years, both the employees’ share (12% of wages) and employers’ share (12% of wages) of contribution payable or only the employees’ share, depending on employment strength of the EPFO registered establishments.
The Ministry is also implementing the National Career Service (NCS) Project as a Mission Mode Project to provide a variety of employment related services in the country like job matching, career counseling, vocational guidance, information on skill development courses, internships, etc. These services are available online on the National Career Service Portal (www.ncs.gov.in) and accessible by all users including job-seekers, employers, skill providers, career counsellors etc.

3-Feb-2021: Claim process under Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana further liberated

Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana of ESI Corporation provides relief in form of cash compensation to Insured Persons in the contingency of their unemployment. Presently under this Scheme 50% of average earning of the Insured Person is paid for maximum 90 days in case of his unemployment subject to certain contributory conditions.

It was brought to the notice of ESIC that in some cases employers have struck off their employees from the rolls few months after actually terminating them from service. During this period, ESI contribution was also not filed by the employers for these employees in the system. As the relief under Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana is available only in case of unemployment of the Insured Persons, such. employees though terminated from service became ineligible for relief under this scheme.

The matter was reviewed and ESIC has now decided that in cases where the employer has shown "Zero" contribution in respect of an employee for some months before exiting him from the system, the relief under ABVKY for such period of "Zero" contribution, shall also be allowed. However, only those beneficiaries who have been exited from the rolls of the employer, shall be considered for payment of relief under ABVKY subject to fulfilment of other eligibility conditions.

21-Aug-2020: Relaxation in eligibility criteria and enhancement in the payment of unemployment benefit under Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan yojana of ESIC

The ESI Corporation during its 182nd meeting held late yesterday under the Chairmanship of Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Labour and Employment (I/C) has taken some very important decisions towards improvement in its service delivery mechanism and providing relief to workers affected by Covid-19 pandemic. Following important decisions were taken during the meeting:

ESIC is implementing the Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojna under which unemployment benefit is paid to the workers covered under ESI Scheme. The ESI Corporation has decided to extend the scheme for one more year upto 30th June 2021. It has been decided to relax the existing conditions and the amount of relief for workers who have lost employment during the Covid-19 pandemic period. The enhanced relief under the relaxed conditions will be payable during the period of 24.03.2020 to 31st December 2020. Thereafter the scheme will be available with original eligibility condition during the period 01.01.2021 to 30.06.2021. Review of these conditions will be done after 31.12.2020 depending upon the need and demand for such relaxed condition.

The eligibility criteria for availing the relief has also been relaxed, as under:

The payment of relief has been enhanced to 50% of average of wages from earlier 25% of average wages payable upto maximum 90 days of unemployment.
Instead of the relief becoming payable 90 days after unemployment, it shall become due for payment after 30 days.
The Insured Person can submit the claim directly to ESIC Branch Office instead of the claim being forwarded by the last employer and the payment shall be made directly in the bank account of IP.
The Insured Person should have been insurable employment for a minimum period of 2 years before his/her unemployment and should have contributed for not less than 78 days in the contribution period immediately preceding to unemployment and minimum 78 days in one of the remaining 3 contribution periods in 02 years prior to unemployment.

With a view to strengthen ICU/HDU services in ESIC hospitals amid the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been decided to establish ICU/HDU services upto 10% of total commissioned beds in all ESIC Hospitals.

The members of ESI Corporation in meeting appreciated the actions taken by ESIC towards mitigating the effect of Covid-19 on its stakeholders besides providing its infrastructure for medical care to general public. So far, 23 ESIC hospitals with around 2600 Isolation Beds and approx. 1350 quarantine beds across India are functioning as COVID-19 Dedicated Hospitals to exclusively provide COVID medical services to the general public of the area. In addition to above, around 961 Covid Isolation Beds are available in most of the remaining ESIC Hospitals across the country, making a total of 3597 Covid Isolation Beds in various ESIC Hospitals. Further, a total of 555 ICU/HDU Beds with 213 Ventilators have also been made available in these Hospitals.

ESIC Medical College & Hospitals at Faridabad (Haryana), Sanath Nagar, Hyderabad (Telangana), Gulbarga (Karnataka) and ESIC PGIMSR, Basaidarapur (Delhi) have started ICMR approved in-house Covid-19 lab test service.

Plasma Therapy treatment is being provided at ESIC Medical College Faridabad (Haryana) and Sanath Nagar, Hyderabad (Telangana).

Rapid Covid-18 ANTIGEN TEST has also been started in all major ESIC hospitals of Delhi/NCR regions.

Alternate provisions have been made for providing non-Covid medical services from tie-up hospitals to the Insured Persons and their family members.

Besides above, around 30 other agenda/reporting items pertaining to improvement in services/benefits to Insured Persons & their beneficiaries and other administrative matters were deliberated upon and approved during the meeting.

Around 60 members of the Corporation including employers’ representative, employees’ representatives, professional expert and representatives of State Government participated through video conference. The other dignitaries who participated in the meeting were Shri Heera Lal Samariya, Secretary, Labour & Employment, Shri Ram Kripal Yadav, MP, Smt Dola Sen, MP, Smt. Anuradha Prasad, Director General and Ms. Sibani Swain, AS&FA, Ministry of Labour and Employment.

17-Jul-2019: Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana

The ESI Corporation has launched a scheme named ‘Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana’ (ABVKY) which, in case the Insured Person (IP) is rendered unemployed, provides relief to the extent of 25% of the average per day earning during the previous four contribution periods (total earning during the four contribution period/730) to be paid up to maximum 90 days of unemployment once in lifetime of the IP on submission of claim in form of an Affidavit. The Scheme has been made effective from 01-07-2018. The scheme is implemented on pilot basis for a period of two years initially. The eligibility conditions and other features of the scheme are as under:-

The Insured Person should have been rendered unemployed during the period the relief is claimed.
The Insured Person should have been in insurable employment for a minimum period of two years.
The Insured Person should have contributed not less than 78 days during each of the preceding four contribution periods.
The contribution in respect of him should have been paid or payable by the employer.
The contingency of the unemployment should not have been as a result of any punishment for misconduct or superannuation or voluntary retirement.
Aadhar and Bank Account of the Insured Person should be linked with insured person data base.
In case the IP is working for more than one employers and is covered under the ESI scheme he will be considered unemployed only in case he is rendered unemployed with all employers.
As specified in Section 65 of the ESI Act, an IP shall not be entitled to any other cash compensation and the Relief under ABVKY simultaneously for the same period. However, periodical payments of Permanent Disability Benefit (PDB) under ESI Act and Regulations shall continue.
As specified under Section 61 of the ESI Act, an IP who is in receipt of Relief under ABVKY shall not be entitled to receive any similar benefit admissible under the provisions of any other enactment.
The IP will be eligible for Medical benefit as provided under the Act for the period he is availing this relief.
The claim for Relief under ABVKY may be submitted by the claimant any time after rendering unemployed, but not later than one year from the date of unemployment to the appropriate Branch Office in form of affidavit in prescribed Form. No prospective claim i.e. claim for relief under ABVKY for any future period will be allowed.
The IP will submit his claim online through the ESIC Portal.

The Relief under ABVKY shall be paid/ payable by Branch Office to IPs directly in their bank account only.

19-Sep-2018: Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojna Rolled Out

The ESI Corporation during its 175th Meeting held under the Chairmanship of Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Union Minister of State for Labour & Employment(I/C) has taken some very important decisions towards improvements in its services and benefits being provided to Insured Persons and their dependants.

Considering the change in employment pattern and the current scenario of employment in India which has transformed from a long term employment to fixed short term engagement in the form of contract and temping, the ESI Corporation has approved a Scheme named “ATAL BIMIT VYAKTI KALYAN YOJNA” for Insured Persons (IP) covered under the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948. This scheme is a relief payable in cash directly to their Bank Account in case of unemployment and while they search for new engagement. Detailed instructions including eligibility conditions, application format, etc. will be issued separately.

ESI Corporation has approved the proposal for reimbursement of Rs. 10/- per person to the employers to encourage the seeding of Aadhar (UID) in ESIC database of their workers and their family members. It will curtail the multiple registrations of same Insured Persons and thus enable them to avail the benefits requiring longer contributory conditions.

ESI Corporation has approved the proposal for relaxing the eligibility conditions for availing Super Specialty treatment has now been relaxed from earlier insurable employment of 2 years to 06 months with contribution requirement of only 78 days. Besides, the eligibility for availing Super Specialty treatment for dependents of Insured Person has now been relaxed to insurable employment of one year with 156 days of contributions. This relaxation will immensely help the Insured Persons and their beneficiaries to avail Super Specialty treatment free of cost as per revised eligibility. ESI Corporation has approved the proposal for increasing the Funeral Expenses from existing Rs. 10,000/- to Rs. 15,000/- being paid on the death of Insured Person.