Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana

Employees' State Insurance Corporation has extended Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana for one more year, from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. Under this scheme, insured workers who lose their jobs get cash relief equal to 50% of their average daily earnings for up to 90 days, once in their lifetime.

Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana is a support scheme for workers covered under the ESI Act, 1948. It helps them manage daily expenses while they search for a new job. Claims are now filed online and the relief money is sent straight to the bank account through DBT.

Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana - Introduction

Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana was launched by the Employees' State Insurance Corporation on 1 July 2018 on a pilot basis for two years. The scheme keeps getting extended since then, and the latest extension approved by ESIC runs from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. The relief amount is 50% of the average daily earnings of the insured person during the previous four contribution periods, which comes to the total earnings of four contribution periods divided by 730.

The payment is made for a maximum of 90 days of unemployment and only once in the insured person's lifetime. During this period, the insured person continues to get medical benefits under the ESI Act. Workers who are not covered under ESI can check state-level unemployment support programs like Berojgari Bhatta Yojana for similar help.

Update 2026

ESIC approved the extension of Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. The relaxed eligibility conditions continue, under which a person needs just 12 months of insurable employment and 78 days of contribution in one completed contribution period within the 12 months before losing the job.

Claim settlement has also become faster. Claims are now submitted and processed online, and the relief amount is paid through direct benefit transfer into the Aadhaar-linked bank account of the insured person. As per the reply given by the Ministry of Labour and Employment in Lok Sabha in July 2026, 1,406 people received relief of ₹1,52,20,915 in 2025-26, while 1,978 people received ₹2,72,08,672 in 2024-25.

Key Information

Benefits

Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana gives the following support to insured persons during their period of unemployment:

• Cash relief of 50% of the average daily earnings from the last four contribution periods, so the person has some income while job hunting.
• Relief for a maximum of 90 days of unemployment, and this is available only once in the insured person's lifetime.
• Medical benefits under the ESI Act continue during the period the person receives the relief.

The claim becomes due for payment after 30 days from the date of unemployment. The claim can be submitted any time after becoming unemployed, but not later than one year from the date of unemployment.

Eligibility

The relaxed eligibility rules that are valid for the current extension period are simple. The insured person must be in insurable employment for a minimum period of 12 months immediately before losing the job. The person should also have contributed for not less than 78 days in one completed contribution period in the 12 months before the unemployment started.

The person must be covered under Section 2(9) of the ESI Act, 1948, and must be unemployed at the time of claiming relief. Aadhaar and bank account details must be linked with the ESIC database so that the payment can be made through DBT. If the person has worked for multiple employers, relief is considered only when all those jobs have ended.

Relief is not given in these situations:

• If the job loss happened due to misconduct, dismissal or disciplinary action taken by the employer.
• If the person left the job on his or her own, took voluntary retirement or premature retirement, or abandoned the job.
• If the unemployment happened during a lockout or an illegal strike, or after the person reached the age of superannuation.
• If the person has been convicted for a false statement under Section 84 of the ESI Act, or gets re-employed while receiving the relief.

Application Process

Applying for Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana is done online through the ESIC Insured Person Portal. The steps are given below.

STEP 1 - Go to the official ESIC Insured Person Portal at portal.esic.gov.in and click on Sign Up. New users need to register with their insurance number, date of birth and mobile number to get login credentials.

STEP 2 - Log in with the credentials and select the Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana claim option. Fill in all mandatory details, including bank account information.

STEP 3 - Download the AB-1 claim form, fill it and upload the scanned copy along with a copy of the Aadhaar card.

STEP 4 - Submit the form online, take a printout of the claim and the employer correspondence. Sign the claim affidavit and get it forwarded by the former employer before submitting it to the designated ESIC Branch Office or DCBO.

STEP 5 - After the branch office verifies the details, the relief amount is credited directly to the bank account through DBT.

People who cannot apply online can submit the physical claim with the affidavit, photocopy of Aadhaar card and bank account details to the designated ESIC Branch Office or DCBO by post or in person.

Documents

Keep these documents ready before starting the claim process:

• Aadhaar card and a photocopy of it for uploading with the claim form.
• Bank passbook or cancelled cheque leaf showing the account number and IFSC code.
• Insurance account details of the ESIC contribution.
• Signed claim affidavit and employer details for verification.
• Salary slips of the last two months and attendance records from the employer.

References

View Official Guidelines

Official Scheme Website

Online Application Portal

Latest Extension Update by PIB

FAQ's

What is Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana?

It is an unemployment relief scheme run by ESIC for workers covered under the ESI Act. Insured persons who lose their jobs get cash relief of 50% of their average daily earnings for up to 90 days.

Who implements this scheme?

Employees' State Insurance Corporation runs this scheme under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India.

How much relief is given under this scheme?

Relief is 50% of the average daily earnings during the previous four contribution periods, paid for a maximum of 90 days once in the insured person's lifetime.

What are the eligibility conditions now?

The person needs 12 months of insurable employment and 78 days of contribution in one completed contribution period within the 12 months before the job loss. Aadhaar and bank account must be linked with ESIC.

Till when is this scheme valid?

ESIC has extended the scheme from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027.

How is the claim benefit paid?

The relief amount is transferred directly to the bank account of the insured person through DBT after verification by the ESIC branch office.

Is separate registration required for this scheme?

No. Workers covered under the ESI Act are automatically considered, provided they meet the eligibility conditions. Only the claim needs to be filed online or at the branch office.