New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) Employers can register their units and employees digitally through the ESIC portal, Shram Suvidha, and MCA portal with the launch of the SPREE 2025 (Scheme to Promote Registration of Employers/Employees) with the objective of expanding ESI coverage across the country, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.

The registration will be considered valid from the date declared by the employer, but no contribution or benefit will apply for periods prior to registration, the statement said.

The statement made it clear that no inspection or demand for past records will be made for the pre-registration period.

Originally introduced in 2016, the scheme successfully facilitated the registration of over 88,000 employers and 1.02 crore employees. The renewed SPREE will be open from July 1 to December 31, 2025, offering a one-time opportunity for unregistered employers and left-out workers—including contractual and temporary staff—to enrol under the ESI Act, without facing inspections or demands for past dues, as per the statement.

The scheme encourages voluntary compliance by removing the fear of retrospective penalties and easing the registration process. Prior to SPREE, non-registration within specified timeframes could result in legal action and a demand for backdated dues. SPREE 2025 addresses these barriers, aiming to bring left-out establishments and workers into the ESI fold and ensure broader social protection.

The launch of SPREE 2025 marks a progressive step by the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation towards inclusive and accessible social security. By simplifying the registration process and offering immunity from retrospective liabilities, the scheme not only encourages employers to regularise their workforce but also ensures that more workers, especially those in contractual sectors, gain access to essential health and social benefits under the ESI Act.

The ESIC remains committed to strengthening its outreach and fulfilling its mandate of universal social protection, aligning with the vision of a welfare-centric labour ecosystem in India, the statement further said.

–IANS

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