In a major relief to the unemployed during COVID lockdown, the ESI Corporation in its 182nd meeting held today has resolved to grant unemployment allowance to the Insured Persons for the lockdown period under the Atal Bimit Vyakthi Kalyan Yojana.
The conditions of this Scheme have also been relaxed so as to extend the benefit to more number of employees.
The relaxed eligibility conditions are as under:
- The Insured Person should have been in insurable employment for a minimum period of two years immediately before the unemployment.
- Contribution should have been made at least for 78 days in the contribution period immediately preceding unemployment and minimum 78 days in one of the remaining three CPCs.
- The claim need not be forwarded by his employer
- Payment of allowance will be made in the bank account of IP within 15 days from the receipt of the claim.
- Relief upto 90 days of unemployment @ 50% of the average wages during the previous four contribution periods.
It may be recalled that that FRICL was the pioneer and has been in the forefront to relentlessly pursue this demand by raising fully justifiable contentions.
Mr. V. Radhakrishnan, ESI Corporation Standing Committee Member from Kerala has also pursued the matter vigorously.