Employees State Insurance Corporation has doubled the monetary grant paid to pregnant women from 2,500 rupees to 5,000 rupees in case they go for delivery in dispensaries and hospitals not registered by the Corporation. A release of the corporation says, the confinement expense has been increased in view of daily expenses incurred by pregnant women while getting post-delivery treatment outside its registered medical institutions. The release said, the ESI scheme is now catering to social security needs of more than 1.71 crore insured persons and their family members.

AIR correspondent reports, the Corporation on Saturday conducted its 158th meeting chaired by Union Labour and Employment Minister Mallikarjun Kharge to approve its Annual Report and Accounts for 2011-12.