Source: PIB
Context: The e-Shram Portal completed five years of operation on 26 August 2026, marking a milestone in building India’s social security architecture for the informal economy.
What It Is
- India’s first comprehensive, Aadhaar-authenticated National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW)
- Assigns every registered worker a portable 12-digit Universal Account Number (UAN)
- Serves as a unified digital platform connecting the informal workforce to social security benefits, job portals, skilling opportunities and pension plans
About
- Launch date: 26 August 2021
- Nodal Ministry: Labour and Employment (MoLE)
- Aim: build a centralised, verifiable national registry of the unorganised workforce, enable convergence and portability of welfare schemes across ministries, and ensure seamless delivery of benefits — especially during economic disruptions and emergencies.
Who Can Register
- Workers aged 16 and above
- Who are not income-tax payers
- And not enrolled in EPFO or ESIC
Covered categories: agricultural labourers, domestic help, construction workers, street vendors, and gig and platform workers
Convergence of 15 Schemes
| Area | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Life Insurance – PMJJBY | Provides ₹2 lakh life insurance cover. |
| Accident Insurance – PMSBY | Provides up to ₹2 lakh for accidental death or permanent disability. |
| Pension – PM-SYM | Provides an assured ₹3,000 monthly pension after attaining 60 years. |
| Food Security – ONORC | Enables migrant workers to access their foodgrain entitlement across States. |
| Social Assistance – NSAP | Supports vulnerable sections through various social assistance programmes. |
| Rural Housing – PMAY-G | Supports eligible rural households in getting pucca houses. |
| Employment – NCS | Connects workers with job opportunities and employers. |
| Skills & Apprenticeships – SIDH | Helps workers access skill development and apprenticeship opportunities. |
| Language Access – Bhashini | Uses AI-based language technology to provide access in 22 scheduled Indian languages. |
| Migrant Workers | Captures family migration information, helping workers access welfare benefits even after moving between States. |
| BOCW Integration | Helps workers with onboarding into State Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Boards. |
