Lok Sabha Question No. 362 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-02
Subject: Welfare of Unorganized Sector Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Dharmendra Yadav

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA 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 selfdeclaration 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).

As  on  29 th   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 -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 the eShram 'One -StopSolution' on 21 st  October 2024. eShram'One Stopsee 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.

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