During the Covid-19-induced lockdown in March last year, migrant workers and unorganised sector labourers faced a lot of problems, and the government was not able to do much about it given the unavailability of data and lack of infrastructure to support them.
However, the government learnt a lesson from it and launched an e-Shram portal to prepare a comprehensive database about the workers in the unorganised sector. The workers can register on the portal by going to their nearest Common Service Centre (CSC).
How to get an e-Shram card
The CSC would ask for details like Aadhar Card number, bank account number, mobile number, home town, social category, Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation number and Employees’ State Insurance Corporation number (if registered). Based on these details, a card containing a 12 digit unique number will be given to every unorganised sector worker, which will be later to used to deliver social security benefits to them.
The workers in the unorganised sector are already participating in the scheme very enthusiastically. “Over two crore unorganised workers have registered on e-Shram. The greater the number of registered workers, the easier it will be to ensure benefits of welfare schemes reach them,” said Union Minister of Labour and Employment Bhupendra Yadav.
The Union government is taking all necessary efforts to ensure that majority of the more than 40 crore workers of the unorganised sector get registered under the scheme, and for this, the state government, trade unions, and all other stakeholders are being involved.
Social Security for Unorganised Sector workers
Previously, the government had launched many schemes like Pradhan Mantri Shramyogi Mandhan Pension Yojana (PMSMPY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) to ensure the workers in the unorganised sectors get social security benefits like life insurance and pension. However, the enrollment in these schemes is still low and once every unorganised sector worker has an e-Shram card, their automatic enrollment can be carried out.
PMJJBY is a lucrative life insurance plan, wherein the insured receives Rs 2 Lakh cover against an annual premium of Rs 330, each year. The life risk cover will get terminated after 55 years. The scheme is applicable to all bank account holders in the age bracket of 18-50 years.
PMSMPY is a pension scheme targeted at people in the unorganised sector. The scheme is applicable to subscribers aged 18 to 40 years, with valid bank accounts.
Unorganised Sector
Indian economy is largely unorganised with 80 per cent of workers working in this sector. These employees are vulnerable to every difficulty relating to education, health, insurance, pension, etc. It is very important to provide social security to people working in the unorganised sectors. The Modi government is focused on making India a true welfare state which the Congress government has promised over the last 70 years but has not been able to achieve in its almost 60 years rule.
The Modi government has brought many schemes like the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) for universal health care and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana for universal life insurance.
Therefore, we can say that the Modi government is focused on fulfilling the Antyodaya (upliftment of the last person) dream of Jan Sangh ideologue Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyay.