e-Shram Portal | 30 Aug 2021

Why in News

Recently, the Ministry of Labour and Employment launched the e-Shram portal.

Key Points

• About e-Shram Portal:
  
  • Aim: To register 38 crore unorganised workers such as construction labourers, migrant workforce, street vendors, and domestic workers, among others.
    
    • The workers will be issued an e-Shram card containing a 12 digit unique number.
    • If a worker is registered on the eSHRAM portal and meets with an accident, he will be eligible for Rs 2.0 Lakh on death or permanent disability and Rs 1.0 lakh on partial disability.
  • Background: The formation of e-Shram portal came after the Supreme Court directed the Government to complete the registration process of unorganized workers so that they can avail the welfare benefits given under various government schemes.
  • Implementation: Government in States/UTs will conduct registration of unorganised workers across the country.
• Status of Unorganised Sector in India:
  
  • The Ministry of Labour and Employment has categorized the unorganized labour force under four groups:
    
    • Occupation:
      
      • Small and marginal farmers, landless agricultural labourers, sharecroppers, fishermen, those engaged in animal husbandry, beedi making, etc.
    • Nature of Employment:
      
      • Attached agricultural labourers, bonded labourers, migrant workers, contract and casual labourers come under this category.
    • Specially Distressed Category:
      
      • Toddy tappers, scavengers, carriers of head loads, drivers of animal driven vehicles, loaders and unloaders.
    • Service Category:
      
      • Midwives, Domestic workers, Fishermen and women, Barbers, Vegetable and fruit vendors, News paper vendors etc.
  • According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS 2018-19), 90% of workers were in the informal sector, which is 419 million of the 465 million workers.
  • Informal workers in rural and urban areas have been hit the most due to the pandemic, because of the seasonality of their employment and lack of formal employee-employer relationship.
• Initiatives Already Taken to Support Unorganised Sector:
  
  • Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM)
  • Labour Code
  • Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY)
  • PM SVANidhi: Micro Credit Scheme for Street Vendors
  • Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan
  • Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Urban Livelihoods Mission
  • PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY)
  • One Nation One Ration Card
  • Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana
  • Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi
  • World Bank Support to India’s Informal Working Class

Source: IE