Lost your Job? This Modi government scheme will help you in times of COVID-19

New Delhi: The COVID-19 Pandemic has rendered lakhs of people jobless while lakhs of others are managing with pay cuts and several others are on furlough.

It is in this backdrop that the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has extended an earlier scheme providing relief to those ESI members who lost their job.

The ESIC has extended the period of the Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana (ABVKY) to 30th June, 2021. It may be noted that the ESI Corporation had launched the scheme ‘Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana’ in 2018. The Scheme was made effective from July 01, 2018 on pilot basis for a period of two years initially, which now stands extended for one more year.

Under the scheme incase the Insured Person (IP) is rendered unemployed, it provides relief to the extent of 25% of the average per day earning during the previous four contribution periods (total earning during the four contribution period/730) to be paid up to maximum 90 days of unemployment once in lifetime of the IP on submission of claim in form of an Affidavit.

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The Relief under ABVKY shall be paid/ payable by Branch Office to IPs directly in their bank account only.

The Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana was launched under the following salient features:

The Insured Person should have been rendered unemployed during the period the relief is claimed. The Insured Person should have been in insurable employment for a minimum period of two years.

He/she should have contributed not less than 78 days during each of the preceding four contribution periods. The contribution in respect of him should have been paid or payable by the employer.

The contingency of the unemployment should not have been as a result of any punishment for misconduct or superannuation or voluntary retirement.

Aadhaar and Bank Account of the Insured Person should be linked with insured person data base.

In case the IP is working for more than one employers and is covered under the ESI scheme he will be considered unemployed only in case he is rendered unemployed with all employers.

The IP will be eligible for Medical benefit as provided under the Act for the period he is availing this relief.

The claim for Relief under ABVKY may be submitted by the claimant any time after rendering unemployed, but not later than one year from the date of unemployment to the appropriate Branch Office in form of affidavit in prescribed Form. No prospective claim i.e. claim for relief under ABVKY for any future period will be allowed.

The IP is required to submit his/her claim online through the ESIC Portal.