The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has taken up a massive IT enablement project called "Project Panchdeep", which is currently under implementation. Once completed, most of the operation of the ESIC Scheme (such as identification and registration of employers and employees, payment of contributions, determination of entitlement to benefits, online payment facilities and various activities connected with the administration of the scheme) will be through electronic transaction. Each insured person under the scheme is given two Pehchan Cards (Identity Cards), one for the insured and one for a family member, having biometric identification through which s/he will have access to medical care anywhere in the country as well as to receive cash benefits. About 2 million biometric cards have already been issued.

In order to improve the quality of health care facilities available under the scheme, all existing ESIC Hospitals are being upgraded and modernized to compete  with the best corporate hospitals in the country. For obtain specialist treatment, if not available in ESIC hospitals, patients are referred to premiere medical institutions in the country with whom ESIC has entered into arrangements, as per the patient's choice, and cashless care is provided.

With a view to improve compliance by concentrating on defaulters, a system of self‑certification by employers has been introduced and routine inspection of those with self‑certificate has been dispensed with.

Source: Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).