Dakshina Kannada MP Advocates for Swift Approval of Karnataka ESI Society and ESIC Acquisition of Mangalore ESI Hospital
Mangalore: Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament, Captain Brijesh Chowta, has formally appealed to the Union Minister of Labour and Employment, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, to expedite the approval process for the newly established Karnataka Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Society and facilitate the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) takeover of the ESI Hospital in Mangalore.
Captain Chowta’s intervention follows a protracted delay in the formation of the Karnataka ESI Society, an essential step for ESIC to assume administrative control of ESI hospitals within the state. Despite repeated communications from the ESIC Director General to the Karnataka State Government, the society’s constitution remained unresolved for several months.
Acknowledging the critical role of the ESI Hospital in Mangalore and its current state of disrepair, Captain Chowta engaged directly with the ESIC Director General in New Delhi earlier this year. During the meeting, he emphasized the urgent need to address the administrative impediments hindering the hospital’s effective operation. Subsequently, Captain Chowta brought the matter to the attention of Shri Santosh Lad, the Hon’ble Minister for Labour, Government of Karnataka. This prompted Mangaluru City South MLA, Shri D. Vedavyas Kamat, to further advocate for the society’s swift formation with the state Labour Minister.
These concerted efforts, involving coordination between central and state government bodies, have culminated in the Karnataka Government’s constitution of the ESI Society. The list of nominees has now been submitted to the Central Government for final approval.
In his recent communication to the Union Minister, Captain Chowta underscored the significance of the ESI Hospital in Mangalore, which serves approximately 250,000 insured individuals spanning Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, and portions of the Kasaragod district in Kerala. Despite its sanctioned capacity of 100 beds, the hospital grapples with persistent staff shortages and infrastructural limitations, thereby compromising the quality of services provided to insured workers and their families.
Captain Chowta reiterated that timely approval from the Central Government, followed by ESIC’s subsequent takeover, would pave the way for enhanced management practices, efficient fund allocation, and improved service delivery. These improvements, he asserted, are crucial to ensuring the hospital operates at its full potential and effectively serves the healthcare needs of the working population in the coastal region. The MP’s continued advocacy reflects a commitment to bolstering healthcare infrastructure and accessibility for the labor force in Dakshina Kannada and surrounding districts.