Parliament Question: Employment Data of Informal Workers

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5903 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30TH MARCH, 2026 EMPLOYMENT DATA OF INFORMAL WORKERS 5903. SHRI PRAVEEN KHANDELWAL: Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government updates sector-wise employment data relating to informal workers in metropolitan regions, including Delhi on a periodic basis and if so, the details thereof; (b) whether enrolment under the e-Shram portal has enabled portable access to social security benefits for workers and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether gig and platform workers are being covered under formal social protection frameworks and if so, the details thereof; (d) whether compliance with the new Labour Codes is being monitored through digital inspection mechanisms and if so, the details thereof; and (e) the steps taken by the Government to improve formalisation and protection of the urban informal workforce? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE) (a) to (e): The Ministry of Labour and Employment launched eShram portal (eshram.gov.in) on 26th August, 2021 for creation of a comprehensive National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW). The eShram portal registers the unorganised workers including gig and platform workers and provides them a Universal Account Number (UAN) on a self-declaration basis. As on 22.03.2026, over 31.57 crore unorganised workers have already been registered on eShram portal including over 36.36 lakh unorganised workers registered in Delhi. 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 registered on eShram to access social security schemes and see benefits availed by them so far, through eShram. So far, fourteen (14) schemes of different Central Ministries/ Departments have already been integrated/ mapped with the eShram to extend benefits and access to social security, insurance or skill development programmes to eShram cardholders including Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors AtmanirbharNidhi (PMSVANidhi), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G), Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB- PMJAY), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U), Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM- KISAN), One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), etc. Apart from the above, eShram has linkages with National Career Service (NCS) for Job Opportunities, Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) for Skill Development, Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) for Pension and convergence portal of MoHUA. The Central Government has implemented the four Labour Codes, viz; the Code on Wages, 2019, the Code on Social Security, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 w.e.f. 21.11.2025. The Code provides for framing of suitable welfare schemes for gig workers and platform workers on matters relating to life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old age protection, etc. The Code provides for setting up a Social Security Fund to finance these welfare schemes. The Code also has provisions to constitute a National Social Security Board for the purposes of the welfare of gig workers and platform workers. The four Labour Codes provide for single registration, licencing and return, reduce multiplicity of definitions & authorities, facilitate use of technology, bring transparency & accountability in enforcement. Simultaneously, it strengthens the protection available to workers, including unorganized workers and promotes formalisation of workforce. In order to ensure simplification of formats, ease of compliance, transparency in inspections and speedy redressal of grievances, Ministry of Labour & Employment has developed two web portals viz., Shram Suvidha Portal (SSP) for online registration of units, reporting of inspections, submission of annual returns and redressal of grievances and Samadhan Portal for redressal of grievances. In addition, the Government is implementing Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme named as the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana to support employment generation, enhance employability and social security across all sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sector. The scheme with an outlay of Rs 99,446 Crore aims to incentivize the creation of more than 3.5 Crore jobs in the country, over a period of 2 years. *****