E-Shram portal records over 1 crore registrations, 38 crore people to benefit

More than 1 crore workers have registered at E-Shram portal set up to generate a comprehensive database of the unorganised workers required for delivery of various welfare schemes.

The drive to facilitate the registration of unorganised workers on E-Shram portal has received huge attention since its launch on August 26. As of Sunday (September 19), 1,03,12,095 workers have registered in the portal. Of these, around 43 per cent are female and 57 per cent are male.

The E-Shram portal is generating a database of workers from different sectors like construction, apparel manufacturing, fishing, gig and platform work, street vending, domestic work, agriculture and allied, and transport sector. An overwhelming proportion of migrant workers are engaged in these sectors of work.

As per the Economic Survey 2019-20, there are an estimated 38 crore unorganised workers in the country, which would be targeted to register on this portal. These migrant workers also can now take the benefits of various social security and employment-based schemes through registration at the E-Shram portal.

As per the latest data, Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal are at the forefront of this initiative with the highest number of registrations. However, putting this number into perspective must be with caution as smaller states and Union Territories understandably have a lesser number of registered workforce.

The registration drive needs to gain momentum in states and UTs such as Kerala, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chandigarh, to facilitate delivery and accessibility to crucial welfare programmes and various entitlements meant for the workers in the unorganised sector and employment.

The largest number of workers registered are from agriculture and construction, given the sheer volume of these two sectors in employment generation in India. Besides, workers from diverse and different occupations like domestic and household workers, apparel sector workers, automobile and transport sector workers, electronics and hardware workers, capital goods workers, education, healthcare, retail, tourism and hospitality, food industry and many more have registered at this portal.

Around 48 per cent of these registered workers are in the age group of 25-40 years, followed by around 21 per cent in the age group of 40-50 years, 19 per cent in the age group of 16-25 years and 12 per cent registration in the age group of 50 years and above.

After registration at e-SHRAM Portal, the unorganised workers receive a digital e-SHRAM card. They also get a Universal Account Number (on eSHRAM Card) that is acceptable across the country for obtaining social security benefits. If a worker is registered at the e-Shram portal and meets with an accident, he/she will be eligible for Rs 2 lakh on death or permanent disability and Rs 1 lakh on partial disability.

(Agency inputs)