National news: Social security coverage for workers, you should also know

Delhi. As per the Unorganized Workers Social Security Act- 2008, the Government is mandated to provide social security to the workers in the unorganized sector by formulating suitable welfare schemes on matters relating to life and disability cover, health and maternity facilities, old age protection etc. To provide old age security, the Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) Pension Scheme in 2019. Unorganized workers who are mostly home based workers, hawkers, midday meal workers, head porters, brick kiln workers, cobblers, rag pickers, domestic workers, washermen, rickshaw pullers, landless labourers, voluntary workers, agricultural workers, construction workers, workers, beedi workers, handloom workers, leather workers, audio-visual workers and those engaged in other similar occupations can be the beneficiaries of this scheme. It is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme.

Under this scheme, a monthly minimum secured pension of Rs 3000 is provided after completion of 60 years of age. Workers in the age group of 18 to 40 years whose monthly income is Rs 15000 or less can join the Pradhan Mantri-SYM scheme. Additionally, the unorganized worker should not be a member of the New Pension Scheme (NPS), Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) scheme or Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO). Also, he should not be an income tax payer. As of January 25, 2024, a total of 49,77,736 beneficiaries have been enrolled in the country. These include 1,35,777 beneficiaries from Karnataka.

Apart from this, life and disability cover is provided through Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY). Under the PMJJBY scheme, there is a risk coverage of up to Rs 2 lakh in case of death of the insured due to any cause at an annual premium of Rs 436.

At the same time, PMSBY is available to bank/post office account holders in the age group of 18 to 17 years. The plan has a risk coverage of Rs 2 lakh in case of death or total disability due to accident and Rs 1 lakh in case of partial permanent disability due to accident at a premium of Rs 20 per annum.

Apart from this, health and maternity facilities are insured through Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) under deprivation and occupation criteria. It provides health insurance coverage up to Rs 5 lakh per family for hospitalization related to secondary and tertiary care.

Other schemes such as Public Distribution System through One Nation- One Ration Card under the National Food Security Act, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Deendayal Upadhyay Rural Skill Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Rojgar Yojana, Mahatma Weavers Insurance Schemes like Yojana, Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Swanidhi, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana etc. are also available to laborers including unorganized sector workers depending on their eligibility criteria.

This information was given by Union Minister of State for Labor and Employment Shri Rameshwar Teli in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.