ESIC approves SPREE 2025 to expand social security coverage

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 the Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya. SPREE 2025 is a strategic initiative designed to widen the scope of social security under the ESI Act by enabling unregistered employers and employees—including contractual and temporary workers—to enrol without the risk of inspection or demand for past dues.
Active from July 1 to December 31, 2025, the scheme offers a one-time opportunity for voluntary registration through digital platforms such as the ESIC portal, Shram Suvidha, and the MCA portal. Registrations under the scheme will be considered valid from the date declared by the employer, and no contributions or benefits will apply to any period before the declared registration date. Furthermore, no inspections or demands will be made for records relating to the pre-registration period.
By removing barriers such as the fear of retrospective penalties and simplifying the registration process, SPREE 2025 encourages voluntary compliance and promotes the formalization of employment. Previously, delayed registration could lead to legal consequences and the imposition of backdated contribution demands. The new scheme addresses these challenges, aiming to bring excluded establishments and workers into the ESI network, thereby enhancing access to health and social protection benefits.
The approval and launch of SPREE 2025 mark a progressive move by ESIC toward building an inclusive and accessible social security system. The initiative not only supports employers in regularizing their workforce but also ensures that a greater number of workers, particularly in informal and contractual sectors, are covered under the provisions of the ESI Act. ESIC reaffirms its commitment to broadening its reach and fulfilling its mandate of universal social protection, in line with the government’s vision of a welfare-centric and equitable labour ecosystem in India.