Lok Sabha Question No. 5786 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-30
Subject: Status of Employment and Labour Welfare Schemes
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Prof. Sougata Ray

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5786

TO BE ANSWERED ON 30 TH  MARCH, 2026

## STATUS OF EMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR WELFARE SCHEMES

5786.      PROF. SOUGATA RAY:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  rising  problem  of unemployment and underemployment among youth in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of steps taken by the Government to improve working conditions  and  social  security  for  workers  in  the  organised  and unorganised sectors;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  assessment  on  the impact  of  the  four  new  Labour  Codes  on  workers'  rights  and employment conditions and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the details of measures taken by the Government to ensure timely payment  of wages  and to prevent exploitation of contract workers;
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  to  extend  social security benefits to gig workers and platform-based workers and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) the details of labour welfare schemes being implemented by the Government for migrant workers and their present status; and
- (g) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  address  rising workplace accidents and to ensure occupational safety in industries  and  the  construction  sector  and  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a)  to  (g):  The  official  data  on  Employment  and  Unemployment  is collected through Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), which is conducted  by  Ministry  of  Statistics  and  Programme  Implementation (MoSPI) since 2017-18.

As per the latest Annual PLFS reports, the estimated Unemployment Rate (UR) on usual status for youth of age 15-29 years has  decreased  from  17.8%  in  2017-18  to  10.2%  in  2023-24.  Also,  the estimated  Worker  Population  Ratio  (WPR)  indicating  employment  on usual status for youth of age 15-29 years has increased from 31.4% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24.

As a part of legislative reforms, the existing 29 Acts in the central sphere have been subsumed in the four Codes viz, the Code on Wages, 2019, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions Code, 2020.  The  Codes  have  been  enforced  with  effect  from  21  November, 2025. These Codes aim to catalyze creation of employment opportunities while  ensuring  safety,  health  and  social  security  of  every  worker (including gig, platform and migrant workers) by promoting ease of doing business through simplification, rationalization and reduction in compliance  burden;  raising  thresholds  for  factory  license,  contract labour license, prior permission for retrenchment, lay-off and closure and certification of standing orders.

Code on Wages, 2019 have provisions for fixation and payment of minimum wages, equal remuneration and timely payment of wages to all employees etc.

The Code on Occupational Safety, Health and working conditions code,  2020  provides  for  universal  application  of  occupational  safety, health  and  welfare  standards  in  all  establishments  having  10  or  more workers  and  even  for  establishment  with  one  employee,  carrying  out hazardous or life-threatening occupations.

The Code on Social Security, 2020 provides for framing of suitable social security measures to provide benefits relating to life and disability cover,  accident  insurance,  health  and  maternity  benefits,  old  age protection, etc.

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)  including  platform workers. The eShram portal registers the unorganised workers (including gig,  platform  and  migrant  workers)  and  provides  them  a  Universal Account Number (UAN) on a self-declaration basis.

In keeping with the vision of the Budget Announcement 2024-25 on developing  eShram  as  a  One-Stop-Solution  for  unorganized  workers  to have access to various social security schemes, Ministry of Labour and Employment launched the eShram -'One -StopSolution' on 21st October 2024. eShram -'One -StopSolution' entails integration of different social security/ welfare schemes at single portal i.e. eShram. So  far, fourteen  (14) schemes  of  different  Central  Ministries/ Departments have already been integrated/ mapped with the eShram to extend  benefits  and access  to  social security, insurance  or skill development  programmes  to  eShram  cardholders  including  Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PMSVANidhi), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha  Bima  Yojana  (PMSBY),  Pradhan  Mantri  Jeevan  Jyoti  Bima Yojana  (PMJJBY),  Viksit  Bharat-Guarantee  for  Rozgar  and  Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana -Gramin (PMAY-G),  Ayushman  Bharat -Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Arogya  Yojana  (ABPMJAY), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana -Urban (PMAY-U), Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandna Yojana (PMMVY), etc

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