Lok Sabha Question No. 5917 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-30
Subject: Pension Schemes
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Rajesh Naranbhai Chudasama

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5917 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2026

## PENSION SCHEMES

5917. SHRI RAJESH NARANBHAI CHUDASAMA:

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Government ensures social security and help to the retired people to live dignified lives and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  is  considering  Universal  Pension Scheme (UPS) aimed at bringing an integrated pension provision to  all  sections  of  people,  irrespective  of  employment  status  or background and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether UPS is being implemented to simplify country's p ension system  and  savings  structure  by  consolidating  some  existing schemes, such as Atal Pension Yojana (APY) and PMSYM and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  UPS  primarily  targets  at  unorganized  sector  workers, traders and self-employed individuals who do not have access to conventional pension plans; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the time by which the Government is likely to implement the UPS?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e):    India has achieved a historic milestone in the realm of social  protection  coverage,  recording  one  of  the  most  significant expansions globally. According to the latest data from the International Labour  Organization (ILO), India's social security coverage has increased from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025.

To  ensure  social  security  coverage  of  organized  sector workers, the following schemes are being implemented by Employees

Provident Fund Organization (EPFO).

- (i) The Employees' Provident Funds Scheme, 1952 (EPF);

- (ii) The Employees' Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS);

(iii) The Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, 1976 (EDLI).

These  schemes  are  aimed  at  providing  comprehensive social security to organized sector workers by ensuring retirement savings, monthly pension on superannuation/disability, and insurance benefits to dependents in case of death during service.

For individuals outside the organized sector, the Government has launched various schemes, including Atal Pension Yojana  (APY),  Pradhan  Mantri  Shram  Yogi  Maan-dhan  (PM-SYM) scheme,  National  Pension  Scheme  for  Traders  and  Self-Employed Persons  (NPS-Traders),  Pradhan  Mantri  Kishan  Maan-dhan  Yojana (PMKMY) to enhance social security coverage.

Further,  the  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment  had launched e-Shram portal on 26.08.2021 for creation of a Comprehensive Centralized National Database of Unorganized Workers including gig workers, platform workers, etc. The e-Shram portal is meant to register and support the unorganized workers by providing  them  a  Universal  Account  Number  (UAN)  on  a  selfdeclaration basis. The Ministry of Labour and Employment has also launched the e-Shram'One -StopSolution'' that entails integration of different  social  security/welfare  schemes  at  single  portal  i.e.,  eShram. This is envisaged to enable unorganized workers registered on  e-Shram  to  access  social  security  schemes  and  see  benefits availed by them.

So far, fourteen (14) schemes of different Central Ministries/Departments have already been integrated/ mapped with the  e-Shram  to  enhance  social  security  coverage  to  unorganized workers, such as Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PMSVANidhi),Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan  Mantri  Jeevan  Jyoti  Bima  Yojana  (PMJJBY),  Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (MGNREGS), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana -Gramin (PMAY-G), Ayushman Bharat -Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), 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 Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), etc

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