The main objective of the Social security scheme is to provide benefits to certain employees and their dependents including parents in the event of sickness, Maternity, Employment injury and death. The Government does not provide the department with funds. The only source of income is through employers’ contribution on a monthly basis, which is 6% of the workers’ minimum wage. The employers pay their employees' contribution without cutting their wages. The ESSI has medical units in 13 districts, consisting of doctors, paramedics and supportive staff. The workers’ dependent parents, spouses and children are provided free-of-cost medical facilities:
Along with this, all illnesses are covered by the ESSI for their registered employees. The employees are provided free medications within their allocated medical units which are specified on an employee's social security card. If the units cannot provide the care to the employee, then they are referred to the government hospital. ESSI has a panel of specialists who are referred to as well. The employees are not charged here as well. The doctors are paid on a monthly basis, based on the number of patients examined. Reimbursement facility for the medicines purchased is provided by ESSI. To facilitate workers, ESSI has private medical stores on panel. The doctor prescribes the medicine and the worker purchases them in the medical store. Medical stores are paid on a monthly basis by the ESSI. The benefits of doing so provides a discount to the institution of about 6-7%. Additionally, when the medicine store bill arrives, there is a discount allowed along with deducting the sales tax. This benefits the worker and government exchequer.
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