union Minister for Labour & Employment Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya said on Friday that a nation that values dignity of its workforce is unstoppable on the path of progress.
He was addressing a gathering in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir after inaugurating a 30-bedded Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Hospital at Ompora. This will be the first ESIC facility in Kashmir that will give a significant boost to healthcare access and social security for workers and their families in the region.
“A country that values its workers’ dignity is unstoppable on the path of progress. It is the workforce whose tireless effort takes the nation forward, and the welfare of workers must therefore remain at the centre of governance. The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to ensuring dignity, security and healthcare for every worker in the country,” he emphasised.
The union Minister further said India’s commitment to worker welfare has received global recognition.
“In 2025, the International Social Security Association honoured our country with the ‘Excellence in Social Security’ Award. Our social security coverage has risen from 19 per cent in 2015 to 64.3 per cent in 2025, as per data published by the International Labour Organisation,” he said.
Highlighting the transformative impact of the four Labour Codes that were brought into effect last year, the union Minister said these reforms have modernised India’s labour ecosystem and made it more worker-centric, transparent and future-ready.
“New Labour Codes guarantee several long-awaited protections for workers, including annual health check-ups, mandatory appointment letters, and minimum wages. The provision for annual health checks through ESIC hospitals will allow early detection of diseases, ensure preventive healthcare for workers, and secure their future,” he said.
The Minister noted that ESIC has evolved into one of the strongest pillars of worker welfare in the country since its inception in 1952. Today, the scheme provides healthcare and social security benefits to 3.84 crore insured persons and nearly 15 crore beneficiaries across India.
He also noted that the convergence of ESIC with Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana has further expanded access to cashless treatment for beneficiaries across empanelled hospitals.
As part of the event, Mandaviya felicitated workers who contributed towards building the hospital in Ompora, and also gave various social security benefits to insured persons from the union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Built at a cost of Rs 165 crore, the hospital has been established with provision for expansion up to 100 beds and is expected to directly benefit more than 50,000 workers and their family members.
The ESI Scheme was introduced in the union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir on October 16, 1989, covering about 7,000 workers in Jammu, Kathua, and Srinagar. At present, the ESI Scheme is implemented across all districts of J&K UT serving approximately 1,83,119 insured persons and about 7,00,000 beneficiaries and is administered through the ESIC Regional Office at Jammu and the Jammu-Kashmir Employees’ State Insurance Society (JKESIS).
The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Labour & Employment, ESIC, local administration and public representatives.
