Government hails progress in rolling out social security for unorganised workers as e-Shram portal reaches 318.9 million registrations in five years

Launched by the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment on 26 August 2021, e-Shram was conceived as the first-ever national digital database of unorganised workers in India, including domestic, migrant, construction, agricultural, gig and app-based platform workers.   

Using their Aadhaar card, a unique 12-digit identification number issued to all Indian residents that provides proof of identity and address, workers can either register themselves on the online e-Shram portal or by visiting local Common Service Centres run by state governments. Once registered, workers can apply for eligible social security schemes and benefits (including enrolling for pensions), and access employment opportunities, available apprenticeships and online training. The e-Shram platform also allows unorganised sector workers to register their bank details, meaning they can receive direct digital payments for eligible social security benefits. 

Share details
The e-Shram portal also enables the Union Government to share workers’ details with relevant state governments and agencies, to ensure the relevant agencies can target social security, child education, and women-centric support schemes more effectively to those who require them. 

For example, the data of construction workers registering on e-Shram is shared with the relevant state Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Boards, ensuring the individuals are properly registered with the respective boards and are therefore connected to the relevant welfare schemes designed to support them. 

In October 2024, the Union Government launched the ‘e-Shram: One-stop solution’ portal in a bid to further integrate a number of social security and welfare schemes with the worker registration process. To date, 15 different social security and welfare schemes have been integrated and mapped with e-Shram to ensure e-Shram cardholders have speedy and easy access to the various benefits they offer. These include social security schemes for workers like street vendors and the One Nation One Ration Card, which allows eligible workers, such as low-paid inter-state migrants, to purchase subsidised food grains from any Fair Price Shop in the country.    

In addition, e-Shram is now integrated with myScheme, a national digital platform that helps citizens discover government schemes they may be eligible for and guides them through the application process. 

‘Advances the government’s vision’
In a statement, the Ministry of Labour and Employment said: “e-Shram has improved benefit delivery, portability and evidence-based policymaking. It advances the government’s vision of an inclusive, technology-driven social security ecosystem.”

It added: “The e-Shram Portal has laid a strong foundation for an inclusive and technology-enabled social security ecosystem for India’s unorganised workforce.” 

According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, 1.15 million of the 318.9 million registered so far on e-Shram portal are platform, or app-based, workers. 

Women account for 54.28% of registered workers on the portal, while men account for 45.72%. Of all those registered, 55.21% are aged 18–40 years, 24.18% aged 40–50 years and 20.53% are above 50 years of age.

The top occupational categories include agriculture, domestic and household workers, construction and apparel.

Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra have the highest number of registrations. Most registrations have been completed through Common Service Centres, followed by self-registration online.

Vast workforce
In an editorial published its latest edition, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated publication Organiser wrote: “India’s unorganised workforce is vast and diverse. It includes agricultural labourers, construction workers, domestic workers, street vendors, migrant workers, self-employed people, wage workers and, increasingly, gig and platform workers. 

“For many of these workers, access to government schemes can be complicated by the absence of a formal employment record or a common system through which their eligibility can be established. The e-Shram Portal was designed to address this gap.”

e-Shram can be found at:
eshram.gov.in