Punjab BJP chief demands ESIC sub-regional office in Bathinda for Malwa region
Synopsis
Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon has formally pressed Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to open an ESIC sub-regional office in Bathinda — a long-pending demand that, if granted, would bring essential health insurance services closer to lakhs of workers, pensioners, and employers spread across Punjab's vast Malwa belt.
Key Takeaways
Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon wrote to Union Minister Mansukh L.
Mandaviya on 18 August demanding an ESIC sub-regional office in Bathinda .
Beneficiaries from Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar Sahib, Barnala, Faridkot, Fazilka and nearby areas currently travel long distances for ESIC services.
The demand originated from the ESIC Employees' Union, Punjab Region , and has Dhillon's full support.
Dhillon also welcomed the BJP's new national team, praising appointments of Tarun Chugh , Manpreet Singh Badal , and Dr Satish Poonia as positive for Punjab.
Dr Satish Poonia has been named national General Secretary and Punjab in-charge , a dual role Dhillon called strategically important for grassroots outreach.
Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Kewal Singh Dhillon has written to Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh L. Mandaviya, urging the establishment of an Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) sub-regional office in Bathinda to serve the underserved Malwa region of Punjab. The letter, sent on 18 August, forwards a representation from the ESIC Employees' Union, Punjab Region, Chandigarh, and carries Dhillon's full backing.
The Core Demand
Dhillon highlighted a long-standing gap in ESIC infrastructure across Punjab's Malwa belt. Beneficiaries from Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar Sahib, Barnala, Faridkot, Fazilka, and surrounding districts currently depend on offices located far from their homes for ESIC-related services. According to Dhillon, this forces lakhs of insured persons, pensioners, and employers to spend additional time and money — and, at times, struggle to access essential services altogether.
Why Bathinda Makes Sense
Bathinda functions as the commercial and administrative hub of the Malwa region, making it a natural anchor for a sub-regional office. Dhillon argued that a local ESIC presence would eliminate the need for repeated long-distance visits, bringing relief to a large section of the working population. Notably, the demand is not new — the ESIC Employees' Union has been pressing for this office for some time, and the state BJP chief's intervention lends it fresh political weight.
BJP National Team Appointments Welcomed
Separately, Dhillon welcomed the new national organisational team announced by the BJP's central leadership. He congratulated B. L. Santosh on his reappointment as national General Secretary (Organisation), saying his organisational experience would benefit party workers across the country.
Dhillon expressed particular satisfaction that leaders from Punjab have been given prominent national roles. Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh has been appointed in-charge of the national office, while former Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal has been elevated to national Vice-President. Rajya Sabha MP Dr Satish Poonia has been named national General Secretary and simultaneously appointed as Punjab in-charge — a dual responsibility Dhillon described as strategically significant for the party's grassroots presence in the state.
What Happens Next
The ball is now in Union Minister Mandaviya's court. If the Centre approves the sub-regional office, it would mark a meaningful expansion of ESIC's reach into one of Punjab's most populous agricultural and industrial belts. Industry observers note that improved ESIC access in Malwa could also encourage greater formal-sector compliance among small employers in the region.
Point of View
But the timing, bundled with praise for the party's new national appointments, underscores that welfare advocacy and organisational messaging are being run in tandem. The Centre's response will be telling: approving the office costs little and delivers tangible goodwill in a region that voted heavily in recent assembly contests. Inaction, on the other hand, risks handing the ruling Aam Aadmi Party a ready-made counter-narrative about Delhi's indifference to Punjab's workers.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What has Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon demanded from the Centre?
Dhillon has written to Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh L. Mandaviya demanding the establishment of an ESIC sub-regional office in Bathinda to serve workers, pensioners, and employers across Punjab's Malwa region. He forwarded a representation from the ESIC Employees' Union, Punjab Region, along with his own support for the demand.
Why is an ESIC office in Bathinda needed?
Lakhs of ESIC beneficiaries from Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar Sahib, Barnala, Faridkot, Fazilka, and adjoining districts currently have to travel to distant offices for ESIC-related services, incurring extra time and expense. A local sub-regional office would bring essential health insurance services closer to the Malwa region's large working population.
Who are the key BJP leaders appointed to national roles that Dhillon welcomed?
Dhillon welcomed the reappointment of B. L. Santosh as national General Secretary (Organisation), the appointment of Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh as national office in-charge, former Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal as national Vice-President, and Rajya Sabha MP Dr Satish Poonia as national General Secretary and Punjab in-charge.
What is the ESIC and who does it cover?
The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) is a statutory body under the Union Labour Ministry that provides health insurance and social security benefits to workers in the organised sector, along with their dependants. Insured persons, pensioners, and registered employers are among its primary beneficiaries.
What happens next after Dhillon's letter?
The decision now rests with Union Minister Mansukh L. Mandaviya and the ESIC's central administration. If approved, the Bathinda sub-regional office would expand ESIC's footprint in Punjab's Malwa belt and reduce the compliance and access burden on small employers and workers in the region.
