(1) Subject to the provisions of the Act and the regulations, a person shall be qualified to claim sickness benefit for sickness occurring during any benefit period if the contributions in respect of him were payable for not less than seventy-eight days in the corresponding contribution period and shall be entitled to receive such benefit at the daily standard benefit rate for the period of his sickness:
Provided that he shall not be entitled to the benefit for the first two days of sickness in the case of a spell of sickness following, at an interval of not more than fifteen days, the spell of sickness for which sickness benefits were last paid:
Provided further that sickness benefits shall not be paid to any person for more than ninety-one days in any two consecutive benefit periods
Provided also that in case of a person who becomes an employee within the meaning of the Act for the first time and for whom a shorter contribution period of less than 156 days is available, he shall be qualified to claim sickness benefit if the contribution in respect of him were payable for not less than half the number of days available for working in such contribution period.
(2) The daily rate of sickness benefits in respect of a person during any benefit period shall be seventy percent more than the "standard benefit rate" of that person during the corresponding period rounded to the next higher rupee.
