Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje Reviews ESIC Hospital Project in Shivamogga

Speedy Summary

• Union Minister for Labor Shobha Karandlaje inspected the ongoing construction of an ESIC hospital and staff quarters at Ragi Gudda,Shivamogga.
• The hospital will have 100 beds, alongside 32 staff quarters being built by the employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).
• Concerned over construction delays, the minister instructed the contractor to expedite work and warned of potential blacklisting if deadlines were not met.
• Ms. Karandlaje directed CPWD officers and ESIC officials to monitor progress regularly to ensure completion by March 2026.
• Earlier in the day, she visited Foundry Cluster at Machenahalli in Shivamogga, interacting with workers. She was accompanied by MP B.Y. Raghavendra and MLA S.N. Channabasappa during both visits.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The inspection highlights growing concerns about timely delivery of projects critical to healthcare infrastructure in India. With rapid urbanization and increasing workforce demands, facilities like ESIC hospitals are essential for ensuring accessible medical care for insured employees under labor welfare schemes such as those provided by ESIC. The minister’s firm stance on accountability emphasizes a broader expectation of efficiency within public-sector projects-a key step towards addressing delays that frequently enough hinder development outcomes in India’s infrastructure sector.

Completion timelines set for March 2026 reflect achievable goals if implementation is regularized through active monitoring as instructed during the visit. Such oversight could serve as a precedent for other delayed infrastructure projects across various sectors within India.

Read more: The Hindu