India’s unorganised workforce, which contributes significantly to the country’s economy, often faces barriers in accessing social security schemes. These workers, whether daily wagers, gig workers, or others employed informally, form a major chunk of India’s total workforce. To address their welfare needs, the Government of India launched the eShram portal in August 2021. On October 21, 2024, this initiative received a major upgrade with the launch of the eShram – One Stop Solution.
The new platform, as announced by Union Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya during the launch event, aims to provide “seamless access to different social security schemes for the unorganised workers registered on eShram.” Dr Mandaviya also highlighted the rapid growth of the platform, noting that “Every day, around 60,000 to 90,000 workers are joining the eShram platform, which demonstrates their confidence in this initiative.” This rise reflects the trust and growing reliance that workers have on the platform to access important welfare schemes.
eShram – One Stop Solution: Key Features And Benefits
The eShram – One Stop Solution is designed to bring multiple welfare schemes under a single platform, making it easier for unorganised workers to access social security benefits. As explained by the honourable minister, the primary objective of this platform is to “simplify the registration process for unorganised workers and facilitate their access to government welfare schemes.” This integration reduces the bureaucratic hurdles that have traditionally limited the reach of welfare programmes to this vast section of the workforce.
The platform provides access to a variety of welfare schemes such as:
- One Nation One Ration Card: Ensuring food security regardless of location.
- Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA): Offering employment opportunities.
- National Social Assistance Programme: Providing financial aid to vulnerable groups.
- Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan: A pension scheme for unorganised workers.
This consolidation of schemes under a single platform highlights the government’s commitment to “acting as a bridge, connecting the workers to the numerous benefits offered by the government,” said Dr Mandaviya. Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, Union Minister of State for Labour & Employment, emphasised the importance of integrating state-level systems, stating that “this initiative will also help in ensuring saturation of the schemes through identification of left-out potential beneficiaries, State/District-wise.”
By making welfare access more efficient and transparent, the eShram platform is not only streamlining welfare distribution but also ensuring that no worker is left out.
The Impact Of eShram On Unorganised Sector Workers
Since its launch on the 26th of August 2021, the eShram portal has played a key role in changing the way unorganised workers access welfare benefits in India. With nearly 30 crore workers already registered on the platform, the eShram – One Stop Solution aims to enhance this reach further by simplifying access to multiple social security schemes.
The portal is especially important for the unorganised workforce, which often struggles with fragmented welfare systems and complex registration processes. By bringing all schemes under one roof, eShram eliminates the need for workers to navigate through different platforms to claim benefits. This integration not only saves time but also reduces the chances of workers missing out on key benefits due to a lack of awareness or cumbersome processes.
Dr Mandaviya emphasised the necessity of ensuring that all unorganised workers take advantage of this platform, encouraging them to “register on the eShram portal and benefit from the wide range of social security schemes designed to improve their livelihoods and ensure their well-being.” This clear call to action is intended to further expand the reach of the platform, ensuring that more workers are included in the welfare net.
The long-term goal is to ensure that unorganised workers, who are the backbone of the economy, receive the social security they deserve, thus improving their financial stability, health, and overall quality of life.
Integration Of State And Central Government Schemes
One of the key features of the eShram – One Stop Solution is the integration of both central and state government welfare schemes into a single repository. This approach, as mentioned by Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, is crucial for ensuring “last-mile connectivity” and expanding the platform’s reach to the most vulnerable and left-out workers across the country. By aligning state government systems with the eShram portal, the initiative allows for a State/District-wise identification of potential beneficiaries, ensuring that no eligible worker is missed.
This integration is in line with the government’s whole-of-government approach, where multiple ministries and departments work together to streamline access to welfare benefits. Over the first 100 days following the launch of the new government, several meetings were held to ensure the smooth integration of welfare schemes across central ministries and departments.
According to Ms. Sumita Dawra, Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the platform will continue to evolve, with more schemes being onboarded in the future to provide workers with “seamless access to various government schemes.” This comprehensive approach ensures that the platform remains a central hub for the welfare of unorganised workers, addressing their diverse needs and offering a wide range of benefits under one system.
The Importance Of Verified Hiring From The Unorganised Sector
While the eShram – One Stop Solution plays an important role in providing welfare access, it also serves as a foundation for secure and verified hiring practices for the unorganised workforce sector. With the rise of the gig economy and an expanding unorganised workforce, businesses need to ensure that they are hiring individuals who are not only registered but also properly vetted.
According to our Annual Trend Report FY’24, there has been a 12.5% increase in discrepancy rates for gig worker verifications between FY 2021 and 2024. This shows a growing challenge for employers who rely on informal and gig workers. This include ride-hailing companies, food delivery platforms and more. These discrepancies can lead to significant risks, such as hiring unverified workers who may not have the required credentials or may present fraudulent documents.
As the gig economy grows—expected to reach 25 million workers by 2030—employers must adopt stringent verification processes. This is where AuthBridge’s solutions become indispensable. By integrating with the eShram portal, businesses can ensure they are hiring verified workers with legitimate registrations. AuthBridge’s UAN (Universal Account Number) Verification provides an additional layer of security, ensuring that workers registered on eShram are fully vetted and their credentials are validated.
Table: Discrepancy Rates In Gig Worker Verifications (FY 2023-2024)
| Verification Type | Discrepancy Rate |
|---|---|
| Address Verification | 19.4% |
| Identity Verification | 0.9% |
| Court Record Check | 29.88% |
These findings from AuthBridge showcase the importance of thorough background checks and reliable hiring practices, particularly when employing from the unorganised sector. The integration of eShram with AuthBridge’s verification services ensures that employers can reduce the risks associated with hiring unverified workers while contributing to a more secure and compliant workforce.
By leveraging both the eShram – One Stop Solution and AuthBridge’s background verification services, businesses can confidently hire from India’s growing unorganised workforce, ensuring compliance, security, and reduced risks of fraud.
FAQs around e-Shram
eShram is the national database of unorganised workers (NDUW) to facilitate delivery of social security and welfare schemes.
eShram was launched on August 26, 2021.
eShram: One Stop Solution was launched in October 21, 2024.
Unorganised workers between the age of 16 and 59 can register on the eShram portal.
Skill India Digital, NCS and PMSYM, PMSVANidhi ( for street vendors), MGNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G), Ration Card, PMAY-U, PMJJBY( life insurance), PMSBY ( accident insurance), AB-PMJAY ( Ayushman Bharat), etc. have been mapped with the e-Shram database.
14434 is e-Shram helpline number. For solutions regarding grievance redressal, email can be sent to gms.eShram.gov.in.
The Ministry of Labour & Employment launched the eShram portal to create the first-ever National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW), linked with Aadhaar. This database will capture essential details such as name, occupation, address, type of work, educational qualifications, and skills, aimed at enhancing their employability and ensuring access to social security schemes. The portal includes unorganised workers from various sectors, including migrant, construction, gig, and platform workers.
- Go to https://register.eshram.gov.in/#/user/self
- Enter Aadhaar linked mobile number
- Enter the Captcha shown on the screen
Then, you will be asked if you are an active member of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) and Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). - Then, click on Send OTP, wherein an OTP will be sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile number.
- After entering the OTP, you can get registered on the eShram portal.
