SPREE Health Insurance A Boost For Workers’ Welfare: ESIC Regional Director
In a significant move to enhance social health security for workers, the newly launched SPREE (Scheme to Promote Registration of Employers/Employees) health insurance scheme promises to instil confidence among employees: ESIC regional director M. Rama Rao
VIJAYAWADA: Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) regional director M. Rama Rao said that in a significant move to enhance social health security for workers, the newly launched SPREE (Scheme to Promote Registration of Employers/Employees) health insurance scheme promises to instil confidence among employees. He emphasised voluntary adoption of the scheme by factory owners, managements, and workers alike.
Rama Rao, along with other officials, unveiled promotional materials for SPREE-2025 at the ESIC regional office in Gundala on Wednesday. During a subsequent press conference, he stated that the SPREE scheme had been approved at the 196th meeting of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation and urged organisations to come forward for voluntary registration.
The scheme, effective from the date announced by the employer, ensures that registrations will be honoured without requiring prior contributions or benefits. “No audits or past records will be demanded for registration,” Rama Rao clarified. He added that this initiative simplifies the registration process while alleviating fears of penalties associated with delays.
Rama Rao noted that previously, failure to register within a specific timeframe could result in legal action and demands for arrears. However, the SPREE scheme removes such barriers, providing an opportunity for unregistered factories and organisations to bring their employees under the ESIC umbrella. He urged them to expedite the registration process.
Currently, 69,632 factories and organisations are registered in the state, covering nearly 1.4 million employees under this scheme.
State medical officer Dr R. Pradeep Kumar, director of factories D. Chandrasekhara Varma, director of boilers B. Umamaheswar Rao, and ESIC deputy director Srinivas Navaneeth were present.
