**Executive Summary**
This report addresses the welfare of unorganized sector workers in India. It outlines the Government's initiatives, particularly the eShram portal launched on August 26, 2021, to create a national database for these workers. The report also discusses the integration of various social security schemes with the eShram portal and the implementation of the four Labour Codes effective November 21, 2025. The document responds to questions raised in Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 362, scheduled to be answered on February 2, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **eShram Portal:**
* Launched on August 26, 2021, for creating a National Database of Unorganized Workers (NDUW) seeded with Aadhaar.
* Facilitates self-registration and provides a Universal Account Number (UAN) to unorganized workers.
* Allows workers to verify and update occupational and income details via the portal or Common Service Centres (CSC).
* As of January 29, 2026, over 31.48 crore unorganized workers have registered.
* **Code on Wages, 2019:**
* Includes provisions for fixing and paying minimum wages and equal remuneration.
* Subsumes the Minimum Wages Act 1948, aiming to universalize minimum wage applicability.
* Empowers both Central and State Governments to fix, review, and revise minimum wages and Cost of Living Allowance.
* **eShram "One-Stop-Solution":**
* Launched on October 21, 2024, it integrates various social security and welfare schemes into a single portal.
* Enables registered workers to access social security schemes and related benefits.
* Integrates 14 schemes from different Central Ministries/Departments, including Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) for Pension.
* **Labour Codes:**
* The four Labour Codes, including the Code on Wages, 2019, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 have been implemented effective November 21, 2025.
* The Ministry is regularly interacting with States and UTs for smooth implementation.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** Unorganized Sector Workers
* **Impact:** Easier access to social security schemes, UAN, and potential benefits through eShram portal.
* **Action Required:** Register on the eShram portal, verify and update occupational and income details.
**Stakeholder:** Central and State Governments
* **Impact:** Empowered to fix, review, and revise minimum wages.
* **Action Required:** Implement and enforce the Code on Wages, 2019 and other Labour Codes.
**Stakeholder:** Ministry of Labour and Employment
* **Impact:** Responsible for the launch, maintenance, and integration of schemes with the eShram portal.
* **Action Required:** Continue interacting with States and UTs for smooth implementation of the Codes and schemes.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Labour and Employment: The primary government entity responsible for welfare of unorganized sector workers and implementing labour laws and schemes like eShram.
eShram portal: A portal to create a National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW) seeded with Aadhaar, facilitating their registration, verification, and access to social security schemes.
Code on Wages, 2019: Labour code with provisions for fixation and payment of minimum wages and equal remuneration, superseding the Minimum Wages Act 1948.
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY): Central scheme integrated with eShram to enhance social security coverage to unorganized workers.
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY): Central scheme integrated with eShram to enhance social security coverage to unorganized workers.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 362
TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026
WELFARE OF UNORGANIZED SECTOR WORKERS
†362. SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to
state:
(a)whether the Government has official records of accurate and
updated numbers of unorganized sector workers across the
country;
(b)if not, the steps being taken to prepare accurate data;
(c)the details of the concrete initiatives taken by the Government to
adjust wage rates in line with raising inflation during the last five
years and the current year to protect the actual income of workers;
(d)the details of the major challenges faced in providing social
security benefits to the said workers, such as health insurance,
provident fund and insurance against accident and the plans
formulated by the Government to address them;
(e)whether the Government proposes to launch any special campaign
to strengthen the monitoring system and implement labour laws
effectively to ensure a safe and decent working environment for
workers; and
(f)if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (f): 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)
seeded with Aadhaar. eShram portal is meant to register on a self-
declaration basis and support the unorganised workers by providing
them a Universal Account Number (UAN). Further, unorganised
workers registered on eShram portal can also verify and update their
occupational and income details on the eShram portal or through
Common Service Centre (CSC).
Contd..2/-:: 2 ::
As on 29th January 2026, over 31.48 crore unorganised
workers have already registered on eShram portal.
Under the code on Wages, 2019, there are provisions for
fixation and payment of minimum wages and equal remuneration, its
payment and bonus. The provisions of Minimum Wages Act 1948 have
been subsumed under the Code on Wages, 2019 with the aim to
universalize the applicability of minimum wages across all
employments.
The Code empowers both Central and the State
Government, as appropriate government, to fix, review and revise the
minimum wages, as well as revision of Cost of Living Allowance on
the basis of variation of cost of living index at regular intervals.
Further, the 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 a single portal i.e. eShram. This enables unorganized
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 to enhance social security coverage to unorganized
workers including Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY),
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Ayushman
Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) etc. Apart
from the above, eShram has linkage with Pradhan Mantri Shram
Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) for Pension.
The four Labour Codes viz; the Code on Wages, 2019, the
Industrial Relations Code, 2020, the Code on Social Security, 2020
and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code,
2020 have been implemented w.e.f. 21.11.2025. Further, the Ministry
of Labour & Employment has been regularly interacting with States
through VC and organizing Regional Level Conferences across the
States/UTs for smooth implementation of the Codes.
*****