Over 70,000 gig workers have registered on the eShram portal, a government initiative aimed at providing social security benefits to unorganized sector workers.
This achievement follows the onboarding of ten major e-commerce platforms, including Uber, Zomato, Blinkit, and Swiggy.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour has lauded this progress but emphasized the need for further efforts to expand coverage and ensure the inclusion of millions of gig workers across the country.
eShram Portal: A Gateway to Social Security
Launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the eShram portal is a digital database designed to register unorganized sector workers and provide them access to various welfare schemes.
The platform aims to formalize the gig economy by integrating workers into structured labor welfare programs.
As of February 19, 2025, a total of 70,306 gig workers from 36 states and Union Territories have been successfully registered on the portal.
The portal offers a range of benefits, including financial support, health insurance, and access to social welfare schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
It serves as a one-stop solution for consolidating information and linking various schemes under a single umbrella.
Challenges and Recommendations
Despite the progress, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour has highlighted several challenges.
With millions of gig workers in India, the current registration numbers represent only a fraction of the total workforce.
The committee has urged the government to expedite the onboarding of more aggregators and simplify the registration process to encourage wider participation.
The panel also recommended targeted awareness campaigns to educate gig workers about the benefits of registration.
Additionally, it suggested expanding the scope of healthcare, pension, and accident insurance under the eShram portal to make it more attractive for workers.
eShram Portal: Future Projections
The committee has projected that nearly 35 lakh gig workers will be eligible for registration on the eShram portal in the financial year 2025-26.
To achieve this target, the Ministry of Labour and Employment plans to collaborate with the National Health Authority and other stakeholders to ensure seamless access to benefits.
The focus will be on addressing the unique challenges faced by gig workers, such as job insecurity and lack of health insurance.
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