December 9, 2025 – The Central Govt has launched SPREE-2025 (Scheme for Promotion of Registration of Employers and Employees) in July 2025. The purpose of SPREE-2025 (Scheme for Incentive Registration for Employers and Workers) implemented by the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) is a time-bound initiative approved by ESIC to register the existing establishments and employees who are hitherto unregistered with ESIC without any prior dues or inspection. The scheme provides employers with a simple option to register their establishments and eligible employers digitally through the ESIC portal and Shram Suvidha portal, without any inspections or demands for outstanding contributions for past periods.
This scheme has been launched in organizations, contractors of various factories, hotels, restaurants, hospitals/nursing homes, educational institutions, rice mills, cold storage facilities, gas agencies, petrol pumps, brick kilns, poultry farms, railway contractors, and contractors of all government offices can directly register themselves and their workers/employees. Employee's ESI card is generated upon registration. In order to further strengthen the social security framework, the Central Government has launched the scheme in July, 2025 this year to encourage registration of employers and employees. The deadline for this scheme is December 31, 2025.
In this context, ESIC is conducting awareness programs at various locations and encouraging both small and large industrialists to take advantage of the scheme. It should be noted that the Sub-Regional Office, Karnal, currently has approximately four lakh ESI cardholders. Upon issuance of a card, 0.75 percent of the employee's salary and 3.25 percent of the employer's contribution are deposited into the ESIC account.
ESIC officials believe that currently, in the seven districts of Karnal, Panipat, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Ambala, Yamuna Nagar, and Panchkula under the Sub-Regional Office Karnal, there are many employees in various institutions whose monthly salary is up to 21,000 rupees and who do not have an ESI card. Those Institutions have not yet registered with the Employees' State Insurance Corporation, including hotels, restaurants, hospitals/nursing homes, educational institutions, rice mills, cold storage facilities, gas agencies, petrol pumps, brick kilns, poultry farms, railway contractors, and contractors of all government offices, should come forward for registration.
If such institutions are found unregistered during surveys/surprise inspections in the New Year 2026, action will be taken against them. Shri Hari Om Prakash, Joint Director (In-Charge), Sub-Regional Office Karnal, ESI Corporation, stated that meetings are being held with trade unions and company managers, factory and rice mill owners. He also stated that letters have been written to all District Education Officers requesting them to register private schools and educational institutions under their jurisdiction with the ESIC. The objective is to issue ESI cards to as many employees as possible so that they can avail cashless treatment at ESI dispensaries, hospitals, affiliated nursing homes, and super-speciality hospitals if needed, and to receive appropriate pension and benefits in the event of an accident. Therefore, Hari Om Prakash, Joint Director (In-Charge) has requested all employers that this is a golden opportunity for them to participate in the registration process as soon as possible and avail the benefits so that all employees can benefit from social security. Therefore, all employers are requested to register before December 31, 2025. If employers do not register under ESIC during this scheme, it can have several negative consequences:
1. Legal/prosecution action and financial loss
2. ESIC can recover all past due contributions
3. Interest and penalties may also be charged.
On 08.12.2025, Hari Om Prakash, Joint Director (In-Charge) of Sub-Regional Office, Karnal, directed all inspectors and branch managers to disseminate this scheme to every factory, shop, and establishment and to fully assist employers and employees.
The main objective of this scheme is that establishments with 10 or more employees, which were previously unregistered under ESIC, can voluntarily join the ESI scheme without any fear or payment of dues for the previous period. The date of registration will be considered as the date declared by the employer; no contributions will be payable for the previous period. Employees registered under this scheme and their dependents will receive ESIC social security benefits such as medical, sick, maternity, disability, and dependent benefits.
Under SPREE-2025, employers who are registered with ESIC but for some reason have not registered all their eligible employees can also enroll the remaining employees without any fear.
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