ESIC Fails to Meet Centre’s Standard in Assam

Only one dispensary-cum-branch office functioning as against 33 needed

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: ESIC (Employees State Insurance Corporation) has been performing below par in the setting up of DCBOs (dispensary-cum-branch offices) in the State. The Corporation in the State is far from meeting its standard set in May 2018 by Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar on the setting up of DCBOs.

In May, 2018 ESIC had its meeting in New Delhi where Gangwar set the standard of setting up a DCBO in each district in the country. Going by that benchmark, Assam with 33 districts should have as many DCBOs. However as of now, the State has only one DCBO, and that is at Mangaldai. This is despite the fact that since the day of taking the decision to set up a DCBO in each district, the ESIC in Assam had a complete financial year during which it has set up just one DCBO.

When asked on the setting up of DCBOs in the State, a top officer in the State ESIC said, “After the directive from the Centre to set up a DCBO in each district we’ve decided to set up a model DCBO at Mangaldai. This dispensary-cum-branch office meets each and every criterion for a model of its kind. For the setting up of similar DCBOs, we had floated tenders for office accommodation, but failed to get any response. We’ve let it known to the ESIC authority in Delhi.”

The officer further said, “The ESIC authority is going to hold a meeting at New Delhi on November 16, 2019 on DCBOs and other issues. We’ve been invited to the meeting where we’ll raise the issue. We hope to meet the standard set for DCBOs next year.”

The DCBOs provide primary medical care, referrals for secondary medical care, scrutiny of bills of secondary care referrals, etc. besides distribution of drugs to Modified Employer Utilization Dispensary, payment of cash benefits, survey work for coverage in the district. The ESIC bears the establishment and operational cost of DCBOs, without sharing, in the similar manner of expenditure of ESIC hospitals.

Also Read: Project of ESIC Model Hospital at Beltola Caught In Time Warp

Also Watch: New Bodo feature film “Gwthar ” hits Cinema Halls today