Benefits of e-Shram Card: Social security schemes for unorganized sector workers

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Government has launched e-Shram portal in August, 2021 with an objective to create National Database of unorganized workers.

New Delhi: The central government is mandated to provide Social Security to unorganized sector workers by formulating suitable welfare schemes. The schemes relating to life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old age protection and any other benefit as may be determined by the Central Government.

According the Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Shri Rameswar Teli in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today. The life and disability cover is provided through Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY). PMJJBY is available to people in the age group of 18 to 50 years having a bank or post office account who give their consent to join auto debit. Risk coverage under this scheme is for Rs. 2.00 lakh in case of death of the insured, due to any reason, at an annual premium of Rs. 436/- which is to be auto-debited from the subscriber’s bank or post office account. As on June 29, 2022, a total number of 13.10 crore beneficiaries including the State of Uttar Pradesh has been enrolled under PMJJBY.

The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) is also available to people in the age group of 18 to 70 years with a bank or post office account who give their consent to join auto debit. The risk coverage under the scheme is for Rs 2.00 lakh in case of accidental death or total permanent disability and Rs. 1.00 lakh for partial permanent disability; due to accident at a premium of Rs. 20 per annum which is to be deducted from the account holder’s bank or post office account through ‘auto-debit’.

The Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) provides an annual health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per eligible family for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization corresponding to 1949 treatment procedures across 27 specialties. It is a completely cashless and paperless scheme. The beneficiary families under AB-PMJAY have been identified from the Social Economic Caste Census (SECC) of 2011 basis 6 deprivation and 11 occupational criteria across rural and urban areas.

Apart from these schemes, Atal Pension Yojana, Public Distribution System under National Food Security Act, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, DeenDayal Upadhyay GraminKaushal Yojana, PradhanMantri Awas Yojana, National Social Assistance Programme, Gareeb Kalyan Rojgar Yojana, Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Antyodaya Yojana, PMSVANidhi, Pradhan Mantri Kausha lVikas Yojana, are also available to the unorganised workers depending upon their eligibility criteria.

The Government has launched e-Shram portal in August, 2021 with an objective to create National Database of unorganized workers and to facilitate delivery of Social Security Schemes or Welfare Schemes to the unorganised workers. As on 25.07.2022, more than 28 crore unorganised workers have been registered on e-Shram Portal.

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