Gujarat to extend ESIC cover to 8 lakh more workers, adds 68 private hospitals
Synopsis
Gujarat is preparing to enrol eight lakh additional workers under ESIC — on top of the 84 lakh beneficiaries already covered — while 68 new private hospitals have been empanelled in just two months to deliver cashless care. The announcements signal the state's intent to pace its welfare infrastructure with its industrial growth ambitions.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat plans to bring eight lakh additional workers under ESIC social security cover, announced on 22 September 2026 .
As of 31 March 2026 , more than 21.68 lakh insured persons and around 84 lakh beneficiaries were already covered under ESIC in the state.
More than 68 private hospitals have been empanelled with ESIC in Gujarat in the past two months for cashless treatment.
The ESIC Regional Board will meet every three months to review workers' welfare and healthcare matters.
Key decisions include establishing an ESIC State Society in Gujarat and allocating land for new ESIC hospitals.
Gujarat is set to bring approximately eight lakh additional workers under the social security umbrella of the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Labour, Skill Development and Employment Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya announced on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, at the 94th Regional Board Meeting of ESIC held at the Gujarat Secretariat in Gandhinagar. The expansion reflects the state's push to align welfare coverage with accelerating industrial growth.
Current Coverage and the Scale of Expansion
As of 31 March 2026, Gujarat already had more than 21.68 lakh insured persons and around 84 lakh beneficiaries enrolled under ESIC. The proposed addition of eight lakh workers would mark a significant step-up, taking the insured workforce substantially higher as new employment opportunities emerge across the state's industrial corridors.
"Employment opportunities in the state have been steadily increasing alongside industrial development. Keeping this growth in view, around eight lakh additional workers in Gujarat will soon be brought under the social security cover of ESIC," Bavaliya said at the meeting.
68 Private Hospitals Empanelled in Two Months
In a parallel move to strengthen healthcare access, more than 68 private hospitals have been empanelled with ESIC in Gujarat over the past two months, the minister said. The additions are aimed at delivering quicker, quality, and cashless medical treatment to workers and their families. Bavaliya noted that the expanded hospital network would make healthcare services more accessible to ESIC beneficiaries across the state.
"The state government is working to strengthen healthcare services and widen access to social security and welfare schemes for workers and their families," he added.
Key Decisions at the 94th Regional Board Meeting
The meeting, chaired by Bavaliya, covered a range of structural and administrative decisions. These included the reconstitution of the Regional Board, nomination of co-opted members, establishing an ESIC State Society in Gujarat, and allocating suitable land for new ESIC hospitals. The proceedings and report of the 93rd Regional Board Meeting were also presented and reviewed.
The board resolved to convene once every three months to review workers' welfare, healthcare, and social security matters. The minister also assured that demands and issues raised by workers between board meetings would receive timely attention.
Officials and Representatives Present
Minister of State for Labour, Skill Development and Employment Kantilal Amrutiya was present at the meeting. ESIC Ahmedabad Regional Director Hemantkumar Pandey provided an overview of the programme. The gathering was also attended by Insurance Commissioner (Western Zone) Ratneshkumar Gautam, Additional Secretary (Medical Services) Manish Modi, Director of Industrial Safety and Health P.M. Shah, State Medical Officer Dr Vijaykumar Dhanak, and representatives of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, employer associations, deans and medical superintendents of ESIC-affiliated hospitals, and senior officials of the Labour and Employment Department.
With the next board meeting due in three months, the pace at which the eight lakh additional workers are formally enrolled and the new hospital empanelments translate into on-ground healthcare access will be the key indicators to watch.
Point of View
And 'soon' is a word that has historically slipped in welfare rollouts. The simultaneous empanelment of 68 private hospitals in two months is a more concrete deliverable, but hospital count alone does not guarantee quality or proximity for workers in industrial clusters far from urban centres. The real test will be whether the new ESIC State Society, once constituted, has the administrative bandwidth to operationalise coverage faster than Gujarat's industrial workforce is growing.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many workers will be newly covered under ESIC in Gujarat?
Gujarat plans to bring approximately eight lakh additional workers under ESIC social security cover, as announced by Labour Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya on 22 September 2026. This is over and above the more than 21.68 lakh insured persons already enrolled as of 31 March 2026.
How many private hospitals have been added to the ESIC network in Gujarat?
More than 68 private hospitals have been empanelled with ESIC in Gujarat over the past two months. These hospitals will provide cashless, quality medical treatment to workers and their families enrolled under the scheme.
What was decided at the 94th ESIC Regional Board Meeting in Gujarat?
The meeting, held on 22 September 2026 at the Gujarat Secretariat in Gandhinagar, discussed reconstituting the Regional Board, nominating co-opted members, establishing an ESIC State Society in Gujarat, and allocating land for new ESIC hospitals. The board also resolved to convene once every three months.
Who are ESIC beneficiaries in Gujarat and how many are there?
As of 31 March 2026, Gujarat had more than 21.68 lakh insured persons and around 84 lakh total beneficiaries — which includes workers and their dependent family members — under the ESIC scheme. The planned expansion will add eight lakh more insured workers to this pool.
Why is Gujarat expanding ESIC coverage now?
The expansion is being driven by rising employment in the state's industrial sector. Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya cited steadily increasing employment opportunities alongside industrial development as the rationale for extending social security and healthcare coverage to more workers and their families.
