Recently, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has launched the e-Shram portal. This platform aims to register 38 crore unorganised workers such as construction labourers, migrant workforce, street vendors, domestic workers and many more. These individuals are due to receive an e-Shram card, which contains a unique 12-digit number. Should a worker registered on the eSHRAM portal end up in an accident, they will be eligible for financial support.
The Origins of e-Shram
The development of the e-Shram portal was informed by a directive from the Supreme Court, urging the Government to complete the registration process of unorganised workers. This would enable them to benefit from various welfare schemes under the government. The implementation of the portal is managed by Government in States/UTs, which carry out the registration of unorganised workers countrywide.
The Landscape of the Unorganised Sector
According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the unorganised labour force can be split into four categories. The first category includes occupations such as small and marginal farmers, landless agricultural labourers, sharecroppers, fishermen, and those involved in animal husbandry and beedi making. The second category concerns the nature of employment, encompassing attached agricultural labourers, bonded labourers, migrant workers, and contract and casual labourers. The third category refers to specially distressed workers including toddy tappers, scavengers, head load carriers, and drivers of animal driven vehicles. Lastly, service workers such as midwives, domestic workers, fishermen and women, barbers, and various vendors are included in the fourth category.
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS 2018-19) suggests that 90% of India’s workers operate in the informal sector. This equates to approximately 419 million out of a total 465 million workers. Informal workers, both in rural and urban regions, have struggled during the pandemic due to the seasonality and lack of formality of their employment.
Existing Support Structures for the Unorganised Sector
The government has previously established various initiatives to support those working in the unorganised sector. These include the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM), Labour Code, Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY) and PM SVANidhi: Micro Credit Scheme for Street Vendors. Additionally, several schemes were launched under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan to further aid these workers.
Moreover, provisions such as the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana and National Urban Livelihoods Mission have been implemented. Several other initiatives, such as the PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY), One Nation One Ration Card, Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi were also initiated. Besides these, the World Bank has been instrumental in providing aid to India’s informal working class.
