ESIC’s SPREE 2025: Registration with no enquiry for previous periods

ESIC’s SPREE 2025 is a time-bound initiative aimed at expanding social security coverage under the ESI Act. The scheme, in effect from July 1 to December 31, 2025, provides an opportunity for unregistered employers and employees to enroll without facing inspections or demands for past dues. It applies to employers with 10 or more employees in implemented areas, including those who have not registered all their eligible staff, such as temporary and contractual workers. By removing the fear of retrospective penalties and simplifying the digital registration process via the ESIC, Shram Suvidha, and MCA portals, the program encourages voluntary compliance and aims to bring more establishments and workers into the ESI system. For employees, this means gaining immediate access to benefits like medical care and cash benefits from the date of registration, ensuring they receive the protection and security offered by the ESI Act.

To ensure widespread awareness and participation, ESIC has directed its field offices to conduct a detailed outreach campaign. Regional and Sub-Regional Office Incharges are leading these efforts, coordinating with key stakeholders such as employers’ associations, trade unions, and state labor departments. Campaign activities include translating official press releases and FAQs into local languages for publication in newspapers and creating Facilitation Centres and Help Desks in industrial areas. ESIC is also organizing seminars and panel discussions with employer and employee groups to promote the scheme and address questions. In addition to in-person events, the campaign will use digital materials like flyers and WhatsApp messages to enhance visibility. Field offices are also required to track all their activities, submit regular reports with photos, and collect feedback to ensure effective implementation. This comprehensive approach is designed to provide clear information and make the registration process accessible to all eligible participants, supporting the scheme’s goal of broader social protection and contributing to national objectives of universal social security.

F. No.- 13/14/11 /2025-PR | Dated:- 01/07/2025

To

All Addl. Commissioners & Regional Directors/Regional Directors/

Director(Incharge)/Joint Directors(Incharge)/Dy. Directors (Incharge)

Subject: Creating Awareness on SPREE — 2025  — reg.

Madam/Sir,

You may be aware that the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has approved SPREE 2025 (Scheme for Promotion of Registration of Employers and Employees)—during its 196th ESI Corporation Meeting held in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, under the chairmanship of Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Hon’ble Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports.

In this regard, the letter no. P-11/12/Agenda/06/2016-Revenuell dated 01.07.2025 issued by Revenue Branch, Hqrs., may be referred. To ensure the widespread publicity of the scheme, I am directed to inform you that the following actions are to be undertaken by all ESIC Field Offices to maximize awareness of the convergence :-

1. Each Field Offices must translate the Press Release (Annexure — A) in local languages and disseminate it through local PIB offices and get it published in local newspapers. Further, the Frequently Asked Questions (Annexure — B) may also get printed in local languages and disseminated thoroughly ensuring better understanding and clarification of doubts regarding the scheme. The local information of the concerned ROs/SROs/state may be included in the Press Release and FAQs by the field offices, as per their requirement.

2. Further, all Regional Directors and Sub-Regional Office’s Incharges, are hereby instructed to take the lead in implementing the following action points for effective outreach under the SPREE 2025 Campaign:

• Regional Directors and Sub-Regional Office Incharge’s shall act as primary flag bearers for the SPREE 2025 campaign, leading proactive engagement in industrial hubs and clusters covered under the ESI Scheme. Field offices must actively coordinate with key stakeholders—such as Employers’ and Employees’ Associations, Trade Unions, MSME Clusters, State Labour Departments, and DIMS offices—for wider participation.
• Campaign activities should focus on all industrial districts where the ESI Scheme is implemented. Key activities include setting up Facilitation Centres and Help Desks, organising seminars with employee and employer groups, and conducting panel discussions by Regional Directors and ESIC Members to promote the scheme and address queries.
• Visibility should be enhanced through posters and banners at factories and industrial areas, along with circulation of digital materials like flyers and WhatsApp messages to employers and employees. The materials/creatives in downloadable format will be soon be made available in the Publications tab of the ESIC Website (esic.gov.in).
• Field offices must also maintain records of all activities, submit regular reports with photos, collect stakeholder feedback for sharing with the concerned Regional Office, Revenue Branch and PR Branch, ESIC Hqrs..

This has the approval of the Director General

Yours faithfully

Manoj Kumar Yadav
Asstt. Director(PR)
Email: pr.branch-hq@esic.nic.in

Copy to:-

1. PPS / PS to DG, FC, CVO

2. All ICs, , for kind information and necessary action.

3. Website Contents Manager with a request to upload the same on ESIC Website.

Annexure A

Press Release

The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has approved SPREE 2025 (Scheme for Promotion of Registration of Employers and Employees)—during its 196th ESI Corporation Meeting held in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, under the chairmanship of Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Hon’ble Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports.

SPREE 2025

The Scheme for Promotion of Registration of Employers and Employees (SPREE) 2025, approved by the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), is a special initiative aimed at expanding social security coverage under the ESI Act. The scheme will be active from 1st July to 31st December 2025 and provides a one-time opportunity for unregistered employers and employees—including contractual and temporary workers—to enroll without facing inspections or demands for past dues.

Under SPREE 2025:

• Employers can register their units and employees digitally through the ESIC portal, Shram Suvidha and MCA portal.
• Registration will be considered valid from the date declared by the employer.
• No contribution or benefit will apply for periods prior to registration.
• No inspection or demand of past records will be made for the pre-registration period.

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 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 regularize 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. 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.

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Annexure B

FAQs — SPREE 2025 (Scheme to Promote Registration of Employers/Employees)

1. What is SPREE 2025?

SPREE (Scheme to Promote Registration of Employers/Employees) is a special initiative by the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), offering a one-time window from 1st July to 31st December 2025 for employers to register their factory/establishments and all eligible employees without any demand of dues for the past period.

2. Who can benefit from this scheme?

• Employers of factories or establishments (shops, hotels & restaurants, cinema halls, Road Motor Transport Establishments, Newspaper Establishments, Private Medical Institutions, educational institutions and contract and casual employees of municipal corporations) with 10 or more employees, situated in implemented areas, which are not yet registered under ESI Act despite being eligible.
• Employers who have not registered all eligible employees including temporary, casual, or contractual workers under ESI Act.

3. Why should employers register under SPREE 2025?

• No inspection of past records or demand for dues for periods before the declared date of registration by employer under this scheme.
• No contribution liability for the prior period.
• Immunity against any action for non-registration in the past.

4. What is the key benefit for employees?

Once registered, employees (Insured Persons) get access to the following from the date of registration of their employer:

• Medical care for themselves and their families.
• Cash benefits in cases of sickness, maternity, injury, or death due to employment.
• Protection under the ESI Act, 1948, offering long-term security.

5. What is the registration process under SPREE 2025?

Employers may register their establishment through:

• ESIC Portal: https://www.esic.gov.in
• For Help regarding registration through ESIC Portal:- https://portal.esic.gov.in/ESICInsurance1/ESICInsurancePortal/EmployerEmployee registration through portal.pdf
• Shram Suvidha Portal (To register, please visit the given below links :-https://registration.shramsuvidha.gov.in/user/register
• MCA Portal

6. What is the date of coverage under SPREE 2025?

• The employer’s coverage will begin from the date of registration by them at the time of registration under this scheme.
• The employee’s coverage will also be from the date declared by the employer.
• No past dues of contribution will be claimed and no retrospective benefits will apply before the date of registration of the employer under this scheme.

7. Will there be any inspections or penalties?

No. Under SPREE 2025:

• No inspections will be conducted for the period prior to the date of coverage.
• No contributions of previous period will be demanded.
• It is a voluntary, hassle-free scheme.

8. How does SPREE 2025 support national objectives?

It promotes:

• Universal social security coverage.
• Extending coverage to all employees including temporary and casual workforce in factories and establishments (shops, hotels & restaurants, cinema halls, Road Motor Transport Establishments, Newspaper Establishments, Private Medical Institutions, educational institutions and contract and casual employees of municipal corporations)
• Supports the goal of Ease of doing business

Need Help?

For assistance or queries, visit https://www.esic.gov.in

Or contact your nearest ESIC Branch/Regional Office.