Lok Sabha Question No. 3444 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-15
Subject: Pension Scheme for Unorganised Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: P. Ravindhranath, Annasaheb Shankar Jolle

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3444 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.07.2019

## PENSION SCHEME FOR UNORGANISED WORKERS

3444. SHRI P. RAVEENDRANATH KUMAR: SHRI ANNASAHEB SHANKAR JOLLE:

Will  the  Minister  of  LABOUR  AND  EMPLOYMENT  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)whether  the  Government  has  contemplated  pension  scheme  for unorganized workers across the country;
- (b)if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  whether  the  Government  has  also involved State Governments to identify the beneficiaries for pension scheme;
- (c)if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  total  number  of  unorganized workers identified by the Government and financial implication for this purpose;
- (d)whether the Government has considered adequate steps to increase the employability of the labour class especially in the rural India; and
- (e)whether  the  Government  is  monitoring  the  recently  announced pension scheme for unorganized sector for speedy implementation?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

(a) to (c): Government  of India in February 2019, launched the Pradhan  Mantri  Shram  Yogi  Maandhan  (PM-SYM),  a  voluntary  and contributory pension Scheme, for the benefit of unorganised workers. The scheme assured the minimum monthly pension of Rs. 3000/- to the Contd..2/-

beneficiaries after attaining the age of 60 years. Under the Scheme, the subscriber is required to pay the prescribed contribution amount and the Central Government provides the equal matching contribution. This  scheme  is  implemented  through  Life  Insurance  Corporation  of India.  Central  Government  has  recently  circulated  guidelines  to  all stakeholders including State Governments/Union Territory Administrations for bulk enrolment of beneficiaries under PM-SYM.

All  the  State  Government  were  requested  for  giving  wide publicity of the Scheme, for maximum enrolment by the unorganised workers.  As on 10-07-2019, the total persons enrolled under PM-SYM are  30,85,205.  The  budget  and  expenditure  details  for  the  newly launched PMSYM scheme is as under:

| Scheme   | 2018-19                | 2018-19                | 2019-20 (10.07.2019)   | 2019-20 (10.07.2019)   |
|----------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|          | (Amount in Rs. Crores) | (Amount in Rs. Crores) | (Amount in Rs. Crores) | (Amount in Rs. Crores) |
|          | BE/                    | Expenditur             | BE                     | Expenditure            |
|          | RE                     | e                      |                        |                        |
| PMSYM    | 0/50                   | 49.49                  | 500                    | 105.22                 |

Note: BE/RE - Budget Estimates / Revised Estimates

(d): The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005 stipulated to increase the employability of the labour class in the rural India by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed  wage  employment  in  every  financial  year  to  every  rural household  whose  adult  members  volunteer  to  do  unskilled  manual work. Para 18 and 20 of Schedule II of MGNREGA, 2005 envisages that as far as possible, employment shall be provided within a radius of five kms of the village where the applicant resides at the time of applying and in case the employment is provided outside the said radius, the labourers shall be paid ten per cent of the wage rate as extra wages to meet additional transportation and living expenses.

(e): Ministry of Labour and Employment is periodically monitoring the implementation of PM-SYM.

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