Parliament Question: Social Security and Welfare of Employees in the Private Sector

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1219 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2026 SOCIAL SECURITY AND WELFARE OF EMPLOYEES IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR †1219. SMT. SANDHYA RAY: Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state: (a)whether a large number of youth are deprived of facilities like social security, pension and insurance despite working in the private sector; (b)whether the Government proposes to develop an integrated social security system for the unorganised and contractual employees working in the private sector; (c)if so, the details thereof; (d)whether any timeline has been fixed in this regard; and (e)if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE) (a) to (e): To ensure social security coverage of organized sector workers, the following schemes are being implemented by Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO). (i) The Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 2026 (EPF); (ii) The Employees’ Pension Scheme, 2026 (EPS); (iii) The Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, 2026 (EDLI). These schemes are aimed at providing comprehensive social security to organized sector workers by ensuring retirement savings, monthly pension on superannuation/disability, and insurance benefits to dependents in case of death during service. This Ministry has launched Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) scheme in February 2019 in order to provide old age protection to the workers of unorganized sector. This is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme. Under the scheme, a monthly assured pension of Rs. 3000/- is provided to the unorganized Contd..2/-:: 2 :: workers after attaining the age of 60 years. The workers in the age group of 18 to 40 years whose monthly income is Rs. 15,000/- or less and not a member of EPFO/ESIC/NPS (Govt. funded) are eligible to join the scheme. The Union Cabinet, on 1 July 2025, approved the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme, titled the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana (PMVBRY), to promote employment generation, enhance employability, and strengthen social security across all sectors, with a particular focus on the manufacturing sector. The scheme was launched on 15th August 2025. The scheme has a registration period of two years from 01.08.2025 to 31.07.2027 and a budgetary outlay of ₹99,446 Crore. The scheme aims to incentivise creation of more than 3.5 Crore jobs all across the country. For the first time, the definition of ‘gig workers’ and ‘platform workers’ and provisions related to the same have been made in the Code on Social Security, 2020 which has come into force w.e.f. 21.11.2025. The Code provides for framing of suitable social security measures for gig workers and platform workers on matters relating to life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity benefits, old age protection, etc. The Code provides for setting up a Social Security Fund to finance 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. Various schemes of different Central Ministries/Departments have already been integrated/ mapped with the e-Shram to enhance social security coverage to unorganized workers, such as Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PMSVANidhi),Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), 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), 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. *****