Lok Sabha Question No. 156 (STARRED), answered on 2025-03-10
Subject: Welfare of Domestic Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Smt. Sajda Ahmed, Shri G M Harish Balayogi

(a) to (i):

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 156 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.03.2025

## WELFARE OF DOMESTIC WORKERS

*156. SHRI G M HARISH BALAYOGI: SMT. SAJDA AHMED:

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

- (a)whether the Government has conducted any survey of domestic
- workers across the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b)the details of the steps taken by the Government for the welfare of domestic workers;
- (c)the  details  of  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  create awareness  among  domestic  workers  about  the  various  welfare schemes available to them;
- (d)whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  rising  number  of complaints regarding the exploitation of domestic workers, brought illegally from Northeast to metropolitan cities and towns;
- (e)if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government
- to tackle the issue;
- (f)the  details  of  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  so  far  to address  the  issues  of  exploitation,  low  wages  and  lack  of  job security faced by domestic workers across the country;
- (g)whether  the  Government  maintain  a  database  of  registered domestic workers, if so, the details thereof, city-wise;
- (h)whether the Government has any proposal to consider to include domestic  workers  under  the  purview  of  existing  labour  laws  or creating a dedicated legislation to protect their rights, if so, the details thereof; and
- (i)whether  the  Government  has  formulated  a  comprehensive  legal framework  to regulate domestic workers for ensuring their protection  against  exploitation  and  guaranteeing  social  security benefits for them, if so the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

(DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA)

A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (i) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 156 RAISED BY SHRI G M HARISH BALAYOGI AND SMT. SAJDA AHMED DUE FOR REPLY ON 10.03.2025 REGARDING WELFARE OF DOMESTIC WORKERS.

- (a) to (i): Labour Bureau, an attached office of the Ministry of Labour and Employment,  has  undertaken  an  All  India  Survey  on  Domestic  Workers based on multi stage sampling design. The field work of the survey has been completed.

Government  is implementing various social security and welfare  measures  for  unorganized  workers,  including  domestic  workers, such  as  (i)  Pradhan  Mantri  Jeevan  Jyoti  Beema  Yojana  (PMJJBY)  and Pradhan  Mantri  Suraksha  Beema  Yojana  (PMSBY)  for  life  and  disability cover respectively, (ii) Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Man Dhan Yojana (PMSYM) for old age pension, (iii) Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana  (PMJAY)  for  secondary  and  tertiary  health  benefits,  (iv)  Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna for housing needs to name a few. Further, the Domestic Workers Sector Skill Council (DWSSC) under Ministry of Skill Development and  Entrepreneurship  is  imparting  various  skill  development  training programmes to domestic workers.

State Governments regulate the conduct of private placement agencies, if necessary, by making their own Policy/ Act in this regard.

Ministry of Labour & Employment has launched on 26th August, 2021 the e-Shram portal which is a National Database of the Unorganised Workers, including domestic workers, seeded with Aadhaar. The portal has been made available to the States/UTs for registration of various categories of  unorganized workers on e-Shram portal. As on 04.03.2025, over 30.68 crore unorganized workers, including domestic workers, are registered on e-Shram.

- In keeping with the vision of the Budget Announcement, 202425,  on  developing  e-Shram  as  a  "One-Stop-Solution"  for  unorganized workers  to  have  access  to  various  social  security  schemes,  Ministry  of Labour and Employment launched the e-Shram-"One-Stop-Solution" on 21st October 2024. e-Shram-"One-Stop-Solution" entails integration of different social security/ welfare schemes at single portal i.e. e-Shram. This enables unorganised workers, including domestic workers, registered on e-Shram to access social security schemes and see benefits availed by them so far, through e-Shram.

So far, 13 schemes of different Central Ministries/ Departments have already been integrated/ mapped with the eShram including Pradhan Mantri  Street  Vendors  Atmanirbhar  Nidhi  (PM-SVANidhi),  Pradhan  Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY),  National  Family  Benefit  Scheme  (NFBS),  Mahatma  Gandhi National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Act  (MGNREGA),  Pradhan  Mantri Awas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G), Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U) and  Pradhan  Mantri  Matsya  Sampada  Yojana  (PMMSY),  Pradhan  Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY).

The Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act, 2008, subsumed in  the  Code  on  Social  Security,  2020,  provides  for  social  security  for unorganized workers including domestic workers. In the Code on Social Security,  2020,  the  Central  and  State  Governments  are  mandated  to formulate  suitable  social  security  and  welfare  schemes  for  unorganized workers including domestic workers.

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