The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) welcomed 1.54 million new members in February 2025, according to the latest payroll figures released on Friday. Data from the Ministry of Labour reveals that 23,526 new establishments were added to the ESI Scheme, broadening its coverage to a more extensive segment of the workforce.

Among the newly enrolled members, 736,000—about 47.7%—are under the age of 25, indicating a surge of young workers entering the formal labor market.

A breakdown by gender shows that 335,000 women have signed up, in addition to 74 transgender individuals who also registered under the scheme.
ESIC functions as one of the two main statutory social security organizations under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, alongside the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). The Fund operates under the Employees’ State Insurance Act of 1948. Employees earning up to ₹21,000 per month contribute 0.75% of their wages, while employers contribute 3.25%, resulting in a total contribution of 4%. These funds are allocated for providing medical care and cash benefits to insured employees and their families.

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) updated its eligibility criteria for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) listed on the exchange looking to transition to the main board. According to the revised regulations, SMEs must have been listed on the NSE’s SME platform for a minimum of three years and possess a paid-up capital of at least ₹10 crore to qualify for the main board.

Additionally, promoters and their groups are required to retain a minimum of 20% of the company at the time of application.

Furthermore, applicants must demonstrate revenue from operations exceeding ₹100 crore in the previous financial year and show positive operating profits in at least two of the last three financial years. The total number of public shareholders must also be at least 500 on the application date.

The NSE outlined several other prerequisites for SMEs aiming to shift to the main board. Notably, there must be no proceedings initiated against the applicant company or its promoters under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, nor should there be any admitted winding-up petitions from NCLT/IBC.

The net worth of the company must be no less than ₹75 crore. Additionally, the NSE emphasized that there should be no significant regulatory actions, such as trading suspensions against the applicant company or its promoters, in the past three years. There should also be no debarments involving the company, its promoters, or its subsidiary by SEBI.

Further, applicants must ensure that directors have not faced disqualification or debarment from any regulatory authority, and there should be no unresolved investor complaints in the SCORES system.

According to a recent report by real estate consultancy Anarock, residential property prices in Delhi NCR have seen an average increase of 81% over the past five years, with Greater Noida experiencing the most significant growth. Specifically, Greater Noida recorded a staggering 98% rise in prices, which climbed to ₹6,600 per sq ft in Q1 2025, up from ₹3,340 per sq ft in Q1 2020.

The report further indicates that the average residential price in the Delhi NCR market surged to ₹8,300 per sq ft in Q1 2025, a substantial increase from ₹4,580 per sq ft in Q1 2020.

Notably, as property prices have increased, the unsold inventory in Delhi NCR has decreased by 51%, falling from 173,117 units at the end of Q1 2020 to 84,500 units by Q1 2025. Key reforms, such as the Real Estate Regulation Act (RERA) of 2016 and the launch of the Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing Fund, have played a crucial role in stabilizing the real estate market.

In Gurugram, residential property prices rose to ₹11,300 per sq ft in Q1 2025, up from ₹6,150 per sq ft in Q1 2020, marking an appreciation of 84%. Meanwhile, Noida saw prices increase by 92%, from ₹4,795 per sq ft in 2020 to ₹9,200 per sq ft this year.

The NCR residential market introduced 53,000 new units in 2024, reflecting a nearly 44% increase from the previous year. The report highlights a growing preference for luxury and ultra-luxury housing in Delhi NCR over the past three years.

Furthermore, Ghaziabad and Greater Noida reported declines in unsold inventory of 58% and 56% respectively over the five-year period. Prior to the pandemic, affordable units priced below ₹40 lakh were predominant in the supply pipeline; however, the current trend leans toward luxury and ultra-luxury homes. In 2024, affordable housing comprised only 11% of total launches in NCR, a significant drop from 62% in 2020.

Additionally, the ultra-luxury segment, characterized by units priced above ₹2.5 crore, represented nearly 59% of the total Delhi NCR housing inventory in 2024, compared to just 4% in 2020.