Executive Summary:
In response to a parliamentary question regarding the detention of migrant laborers, the Ministry of Labour and Employment provides details on the eShram portal, a national database for unorganized workers, including migrant workers. As of August 5, 2025, over 30.98 crore unorganized workers have registered. The Ministry highlights the role of State/UT governments in maintaining public order and enforcing laws related to migrant workers.
Key Points / Main Content:
eShram Portal:
Launched on August 26, 2021, by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Objective: Create a national database of unorganized workers, including migrant workers, seeded with Aadhaar.
Purpose: Facilitate the delivery of Social Security and Welfare Schemes to registered workers.
Registration: Allows unorganized workers to self-register on the portal.
Registration Numbers: As of 05.08.2025, over 30.98 crore unorganized workers, including migrant workers, have registered.
State/UT Responsibilities:
Policy and Public Order: State subjects as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.
Law Enforcement: States/UTs are primarily responsible for preventing, detecting, investigating, and prosecuting crimes through their Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs).
Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979:
Purpose: Safeguard the interests of migrant workers.
Provisions: Registration of establishments employing inter-state migrant workers, licensing of contractors.
Worker Entitlements: Minimum wages, journey allowance, displacement allowance, residential accommodation, medical facilities, protective clothing, etc.
Enforcement: Central Industrial Relations Machinery (CIRM) conducts regular inspections in the Central Sphere; State Governments enforce the Act in the State Sphere.
Impact Analysis:
Migrant Workers:
Impact: Benefit from social security and welfare schemes through eShram portal registration; protection of rights and entitlements under the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979.
Action Required: Register on the eShram portal to access benefits.
State/UT Governments:
Impact: Responsible for maintaining public order, preventing crimes against migrant workers, and enforcing the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979, within their jurisdictions.
Action Required: Enforce the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979; prevent discrimination, and take action on crimes against migrant workers through their Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs).
Ministry of Labour and Employment:
Impact: Responsible for the eShram portal and monitoring the welfare of migrant workers nationally.
Action Required: Oversee the eShram portal, monitor registration, and coordinate with State/UT governments.
Central Industrial Relations Machinery (CIRM):
Impact: Responsible for enforcing the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979, in the Central Sphere.
Action Required: Conduct regular inspections of registered establishments and licensed contractors.
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 & Employment.
Aadhaar: A 12-digit individual identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India.
West Bengal: A state in eastern India, specifically mentioned in relation to migrant labourers.
Sushri Shobha Karandlaje: Minister of State for Labour and Employment.
Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979: An act to regulate the employment of inter-state migrant workmen and to provide for their conditions of service.
Central Industrial Relations Machinery (CIRM): The enforcement authorities responsible for conducting regular inspections of registered establishments and licensed contractors in the Central Sphere.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the question regarding migrant labourers was raised.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3558
TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025
DETENTION OF THE MIGRANT LABOURERS
3558. SHRI ABHISHEK BANERJEE:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to
state:
(a)the details of the number of migrant labourers in the country,
State/UT-wise;
(b)whether it is a fact that migrant labour from Bengal has been
detained in many States for speaking Bengali and if so, the details
thereof, case-wise; and
(c)the details of the steps taken by the Government to ensure that
there is no discrimination against migrant labourers from West
Bengal on the premise of language?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (c): The Ministry of Labour & Employment has launched
eShram portal, a National Database of the Unorganised Workers on
26th August, 2021. The main objective of the eShram portal is to
create a national database of unorganised workers including migrant
workers seeded with Aadhaar, and facilitate delivery under existing
Social Security and Welfare Schemes to such workers. It allows an
unorganised worker to register himself or herself on the portal on a
self-declaration basis. As on 05.08.2025, over 30.98 crore
unorganized workers including migrant workers have registered on
eShram portal. State-wise number of unorganized workers including
migrant workers registered on eShram portal is annexed.
‘Policy’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects as per the
Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. The States /UTs are
primarily responsible for the prevention, detection, investigation and
prosecution of crimes through their Law Enforcement Agencies
(LEAs).
Contd..2/-:: 2 ::
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, protective
clothing etc.
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 (C) OF LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION
NO. 3558 FOR 11.08.2025 REGARDING “DETENTION OF THE MIGRANT LABOURERS” RAISED BY
SHRI ABHISHEK BANERJEE, MP(LS).
States/UTs -wise number of unorganised workers including migrant workers registered on eShram portal, as on
05.08.2025.
S.N. States Registration on eShram Portal as on
05.08.2025
1. ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR 34,455
ISLANDS
2. ANDHRA PRADESH 86,18,260
3. ARUNACHAL PRADESH 2,09,908
4. ASSAM 77,13,924
5. BIHAR 3,00,29,469
6. CHANDIGARH 1,88,480
7. CHHATTISGARH 86,03,259
8. DELHI 35,79,202
9. GOA 82,998
10. GUJARAT 1, 21,79,153
11. HARYANA 54,02,184
12. HIMACHAL PRADESH 20,03,493
13. JAMMU AND KASHMIR 35,99,050
14. JHARKHAND 96,94,965
15. KARNATAKA 1,08,88,631
16. KERALA 60,66,525
17. LADAKH 34,686
18. LAKSHADWEEP 2,843
19. MADHYA PRADESH 1,89,30,439
20. MAHARASHTRA 1,78,55,616
21. MANIPUR 4,63,867
22. MEGHALAYA 3,52,419
23. MIZORAM 72,255
24. NAGALAND 2,38,334
25. ODISHA 1,36,07,406
26. PUDUCHERRY 1,94,804
27. PUNJAB 58,63,282
28. RAJASTHAN 1,49,06,374
29. SIKKIM 48,796
30. TAMIL NADU 93,15,434
31. TELANGANA 45,42,660
32. THE DADRA AND NAGAR HAVELI 75,408
AND DAMAN AND DIU
33. TRIPURA 8,96,317
34. UTTAR PRADESH 8,39,81,159
35. UTTARAKHAND 30,86,316
36. WEST BENGAL 2,64,81,453
Total 30,98,43,824
*****