ESIC Launches Scheme for Promotion of Registration of Employers and Employees (SPREE 2025) during its 196th ESI Corporation Meeting to Expand Social Security Coverage
The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has launched SPREE 2025 (Scheme for Promotion of Registration of Employers and Employees). It is a special initiative aimed at expanding social security coverage under the ESI Act.
The new SPREE 2025 scheme is approved during the 196th ESI Corporation Meeting held in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, under the chairmanship of Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports. The scheme will run from July 1 to December 31, 2025.
SPREE 2025
SPREE 2025 offers a one-time opportunity for unregistered employers and employees—including contractual and temporary workers—to enroll in the ESI scheme without facing inspections or demands for past dues. Registrations are to be completed digitally via the ESIC portal, Shram Suvidha, and MCA portal.
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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 for past records will be made for the pre-registration period.
Note that registration on the ESIC portal will be valid from the date declared by the employer, and no retroactive contributions or liabilities will be enforced for the period before registration.
This initiative removes the fear of retrospective penalties, encourages voluntary compliance.
According to the Ministry of Labour & Employment press release on PIB, “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.
