Ministry of Labour and Employment, Govt. of India initiates the process for setting up ESIC hospital at Dholera SIR

Gandhinagar, August 31, 2021: Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR), a major Greenfield Industrial Hub planned and located over 100km south of Ahmedabad, is in conversation with ESIC under India's Ministry of Labour and Employment to allocate land for constructing around 200-bed hospital. With the initiation of this public health system, Dholera will aim to provide affordable healthcare treatment to workers and employees of the special investment region.

Dholera SIR, which caters to more than 4500 labourers and a request to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, was made for setting up a hospital to deliver high-quality healthcare for its workers. As the workforce will grow due to upcoming connectivity projects and the launch of new industrial units in the special investment region, the need for a hospital is evident, paving the way for opening up new vistas of development of the hinterland. Currently, Bhavnagar and Ahmedabad are the closest cities with major hospitals at 65 km and 110 km, respectively. 

The Ministry has accepted and have initiated on the proposal submitted by Dholera Industrial City Development Limited (DICDL) for setting up an ESIC hospital as DSIR has already identified a land parcel for around 200 bed hospital in the activation area. As of now (22.54 sq km) is being developed in phase 1 of the Activation area out of 920 sq km. It will impact the development at the DSIR since Dholera is experiencing immigration in the form of skilled and unskilled labourers for the ongoing construction activities in and around the activation Area.

Shri Hareet Shukla, IAS, Managing Director, Dholera Industrial City Development Ltd (DICDL), said, "We are pleased to announce that the Ministry has approved our request and a dialogue has been initiated with the officials from State ESIC for setting up an ESI Hospital Dholera SIR. This would greatly benefit the workers and, in turn, will be a great push for the region's development. The health care facility will serve not only the existing employees and workers but also the futuristic development due to existing and proposed connectivity projects."

ESIC has examined the matter and obtained preliminary reports to ascertain the feasibility of setting up an ESIC hospital at Dholera, as it already meets the minimum norms of Insured Persons (IPs) required to set up an ESIC hospital.

Dholera is a Greenfield site for developing industries with provision for adequate social and civic amenities. Further, to provide seamless connectivity to the Dholera Special Investment Region from Ahmedabad, a Dedicated Freight Corridor, the gateway sea-ports, a dedicated rail line for movement of goods and a Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) have also been planned.