MANGALURU: Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta has written to Union Minister of Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya, urging the early approval of nominees for the newly formed Karnataka ESI Society and the prompt takeover of the ESI Hospital in Mangaluru by the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).
The move aims to address the long-pending administrative delays that have hindered the upgradation and management of the ESI Hospital, a key healthcare facility for insured workers across coastal Karnataka.
Delay in society formation hampers ESIC control
According to Captain Chowta, the formation of the Karnataka ESI Society had been delayed despite repeated reminders from the ESIC headquarters in New Delhi. The Director-General of ESIC had written several times to the Karnataka government seeking the constitution of the society — a statutory requirement before ESIC can formally assume control of the ESI hospitals in the state.
However, the matter remained pending for several months without progress.
Captain Chowta noted that he had personally met the Director-General of ESIC in February 2025 to highlight the issue and had also approached Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad to resolve the bottleneck. His efforts were later supported by Mangalore City South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath, who met the Labour Minister to request the early formation of the society.
Karnataka ESI Society constituted
Following these interventions, the Karnataka ESI Society was finally constituted by the state government. The list of nominated members has since been forwarded to the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment for approval. Once approved, this will allow ESIC to officially take over management of the ESI Hospital in Mangaluru and other similar institutions in the state.
ESI Hospital serves over 2.5 lakh insured persons
In his letter, Captain Chowta emphasised the critical role of the Mangaluru ESI Hospital, which caters to nearly 2.5 lakh insured persons and their dependents from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, and even parts of Kasaragod district in Kerala.
Despite being sanctioned 100 beds, the hospital continues to face severe staff shortages, infrastructure constraints, and delays in service delivery. The MP noted that these issues have adversely affected healthcare access for industrial and low-income workers covered under the ESI scheme.
Better governance through ESIC management
Captain Chowta stated that the ESIC’s direct takeover would ensure better fund utilisation, improved staffing, and modernisation of medical infrastructure. He added that bringing the hospital fully under ESIC’s administrative control would enhance service quality and accountability.
“An early approval from the Centre will help in streamlining operations and ensuring that insured workers receive the quality healthcare they are entitled to,” Captain Chowta said in his letter.
Path forward
The Union Ministry is expected to review the Karnataka government’s proposal and approve the nominees shortly, paving the way for the ESIC to assume full operational control of the Mangaluru ESI Hospital.
The move is likely to benefit thousands of workers in the region and strengthen healthcare delivery under the Employees’ State Insurance scheme in coastal Karnataka.