As India celebrates Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, marking 75+ years of independence, the Ministry of Labour & Employment continues to drive inclusive growth by strengthening welfare for the nation’s unorganised workforce. A landmark in this journey is the e-Shram portal—a visionary digital initiative.
Launched on 26th August 2021, the e-Shram portal (www.eshram.gov.in) was created to build a National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW) seeded with Aadhaar. It offers each worker a Universal Account Number (UAN) to ensure streamlined access to welfare schemes—based on self-declaration, without the need for third-party verification.
From Registration to Welfare Delivery: e-Shram as a “One-Stop-Solution”
In line with the 2024–25 Union Budget announcement, the portal was enhanced on 21st October 2024 into a “One-Stop-Solution” for unorganised workers. This transformation allows registered workers to directly access and track benefits from a wide range of social security and welfare schemes. Already, 14 key central government schemes have been integrated, including:
- Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY)
- Ayushman Bharat – PM Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)
- MGNREGS
- PM Awas Yojana (Rural and Urban)
- PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY)
- PM Kisan Samman Nidhi
- One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC), among others.
This convergence ensures that gig workers, daily wage earners, farmers, street vendors, and others in the informal sector are no longer left behind when it comes to social safety nets.
Dedicated Microsites for Every State & UT
Recognising the diverse challenges faced by workers in different regions, the Ministry launched dedicated e-Shram Microsites for all States and UTs on 29th January 2025. These portals allow each region to manage worker registration, updates, and verification tailored to local needs. They also offer state-specific analytics, enabling more targeted policymaking and scheme implementation.
Bringing Gig Workers into the Fold
In another pioneering step, the Ministry launched the Platform Aggregator Module on 12th December 2024, integrating 12 major gig economy platforms into the e-Shram ecosystem.