Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Labour and Employment addressed concerns regarding data on migrant workers in Lok Sabha, emphasizing the eShram portal, launched on August 26, 2021, as a national database for unorganized workers, including migrant workers. As of July 16, 2025, over 30.94 crore unorganized workers have registered on the eShram portal, with 2.99 crore from Bihar. The ministry has also launched the eShram "One-Stop Solution" on October 21, 2024, integrating various social security schemes.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **eShram Portal and Data:**
* eShram portal serves as a National Database of Unorganised Workers, including migrant workers.
* Workers can register themselves on a self-declaration basis.
* Aadhaar seeding facilitates the delivery of Social Security and welfare schemes.
* As of 16.07.2025, over 30.94 crore unorganized workers have registered.
* Bihar has 2.99 crore registered workers.
* Data is shared with States/UTs Labour departments via Data Sharing Portal (DSP) and/or Application Programming Interface (API).
* **eShram "One-Stop Solution":**
* Launched on October 21, 2024, to provide access to various social security schemes.
* Integrates different social security welfare schemes on a single portal.
* Enables registered workers to access social security schemes and view availed benefits.
* 14 schemes of Central Ministries/Departments are integrated, including PMSVANidhi, PMSBY, PMJJBY, NFBS, MGNREGS, PMAYG, ABPMJAY, PMAYU and PMMSY, PMKMY.
* **Legal Framework for Migrant Workers:**
* The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services) Act, 1979, ensures minimum wages, journey allowance, residential accommodation, and medical facilities.
* The Act has been subsumed under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020.
* OSH Code provides decent working conditions, minimum wages, grievances redressal, and a toll-free helpline.
* Enforcement is conducted by the Central Industrial Relations Machinery (CIRM) and State Governments.
Impact Analysis:
* Unorganized Workers (including Migrant Workers):
Impact: Access to a centralized database for registration and access to social security schemes. Benefit from integrated welfare schemes and improved working conditions as per the OSH Code.
Action Required: Register on the eShram portal to avail benefits and access social security schemes. Utilize available grievance redressal mechanisms and the toll-free helpline.
* State/UT Labour Departments:
Impact: Utilize eShram data to administer and deliver social security and welfare schemes effectively. Enforce the OSH Code within their jurisdiction.
Action Required: Utilize the Data Sharing Portal (DSP) and/or Application Programming Interface (API) to access and manage worker data. Enforce the OSH Code and conduct inspections.
* Ministry of Labour and Employment:
Impact: Monitor and manage the eShram portal and the integrated social security schemes. Ensure enforcement of the OSH Code through CIRM.
Action Required: Maintain and update the eShram portal and data. Oversee the enforcement of the OSH Code and conduct regular inspections through CIRM.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Labour and Employment: The Indian government ministry responsible for labour and employment policies.
eShram portal: A National Database of the Unorganised Workers launched on 26th August, 2021 by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Bihar: A state in India with a significant number of migrant workers registered on the eShram portal.
Aadhaar: A 12-digit individual identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India.
Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PMSVANidhi): A micro-credit facility scheme to provide affordable loans to street vendors.
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020: A labour code enacted in 2020 in India, aimed at consolidating and simplifying laws related to occupational safety, health, and working conditions.
Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979: An Indian Act that regulates the employment and conditions of service of inter-state migrant workmen.
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS): An Indian labour law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the 'right to work'.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 88
TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025
DATA ON MIGRANT WORKERS
88. DR. MOHAMMAD JAWED:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to
state:
(a)whether the Government has any data of migrant workers in the
country, States-wise particularly in Bihar and if so, the details
thereof;
(b)if not, the time by which the Government is planning to conduct a
study on the same;
(c)whether the Government has considered for establishment of
Nodal office in each zone of the country to look after the welfare
and safety of the migrant workers from all States; and
(d)if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (d): The Ministry of Labour & Employment has launched
eShram portal, a National Database of the Unorganised Workers on
26th August, 2021. It has also been made available to the States/UTs
for registration of unorganised workers including migrant workers. It
allows an unorganised worker to register himself or herself on the
portal on a self- declaration basis. The main objective of the eShram
portal is to create a national database of unorganised workers
seeded with Aadhaar, and facilitate delivery under existing Social
Security and welfare Schemes to such workers. As on 16.07.2025,
over 30.94 crore unorganized workers including migrant workers
have registered and in Bihar total 2.99 crore workers have registered,
on eShram portal. State-wise number of unorganized workers
including migrant workers registered on eShram portal is annexed.
Ministry of Labour & Employment is sharing eShram data
with all States/ UTs’ Labour departments through Data Sharing Portal
(DSP) and/or Application Programming Interface (API).
Contd..2/-:: 2 ::
In keeping with the vision of the Budget Announcement,
2024-25, on developing eShram as a "One-Stop-Solution" for
unorganized workers to have access to various social security
schemes, Ministry of Labour and Employment launched the eShram-
"One-Stop-Solution" on 21st October 2024. eShram-"One-Stop-
Solution" entails integration of different social security/ welfare
schemes at single portal i.e. eShram. This enables unorganised
workers, including migrant workers, registered on eShram to access
social security schemes and see benefits availed by them so far,
through eShram.
So far, 14 schemes of different Central
Ministries/Departments have already been integrated/ mapped with
the eShram including Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atmanirbhar
Nidhi (PM-SVANidhi), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY),
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), National Family
Benefit Scheme (NFBS), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana –
Gramin (PMAY-G), Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya
Yojana (AB-PMJAY), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Urban (PMAY-U)
and Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Pradhan
Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY).
In order to safeguard the interest of the Migrant workers,
the Parliament has enacted the Inter-State Migrant Workmen
(Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services) Act, 1979
which, inter alia, provides for registration of certain establishments
employing Inter-State Migrant Workers, licensing of contractors etc.
Workers employed with such establishment are to be provided
payment of minimum wages, journey allowance, displacement
allowance, residential accommodation, medical facilities and
protective clothing etc.
This Act has been subsumed in the Occupational Safety,
Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020. The OSH Code,
provides for decent working conditions, minimum wages, grievances
redressal mechanisms, toll free helpline to migrant workers.
The enforcement authorities under Central Industrial
Relations Machinery (CIRM) conduct regular inspections of the
registered establishments and licensed contractors in the Central
Sphere. The State Governments are mandated to enforce the Act, in
the State Sphere.
* *****ANNEXURE
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION
NO. 88 FOR 21.07.2025 REGARDING “DATA ON MIGRANT WORKERS” RAISED BY DR.
MOHAMMAD JAWED.
State-wise number of unorganised workers registered on eShram portal, as on 16.07.2025
S.N. States Registration on eShram Portal as on
16.07.2025
1. ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS 34,301
2. ANDHRA PRADESH 85,82,350
3. ARUNACHAL PRADESH 2,09,452
4. ASSAM 77,01,591
5. BIHAR 2,99,89,709
6. CHANDIGARH 1,87,909
7. CHHATTISGARH 85,97,389
8. DELHI 35,72,672
9. GOA 82,028
10. GUJARAT 1,21,56,299
11. HARYANA 54,00,054
12. HIMACHAL PRADESH 20,00,909
13. JAMMU AND KASHMIR 35,95,079
14. JHARKHAND 96,86,345
15. KARNATAKA 1,08,70,788
16. KERALA 60,58,844
17. LADAKH 34,628
18. LAKSHADWEEP 2,840
19. MADHYA PRADESH 1,88,94,321
20. MAHARASHTRA 1,78,32,615
21. MANIPUR 4,61,705
22. MEGHALAYA 3,51,674
23. MIZORAM 72,186
24. NAGALAND 2,38,148
25. ODISHA 1,35,96,824
26. PUDUCHERRY 1,94,425
27. PUNJAB 58,50,534
28. RAJASTHAN 1,48,50,534
29. SIKKIM 48,514
30. TAMIL NADU 92,87,763
31. TELANGANA 45,33,781
32. THE DADRA AND NAGAR HAVELI 75,286
AND DAMAN AND DIU
33. TRIPURA 8,95,045
34. UTTAR PRADESH 8,39,39,734
35. UTTARAKHAND 30,83,131
36. WEST BENGAL 2,64,76,850
Total 30,94,46,257
*****