e-Shram and India’s Unorganised Workers Explained

e-Shram is India’s national database of unorganised workers, launched on 26 August 2021 by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, which gives each registered worker a 12-digit Universal Account Number (UAN) and a card that can be used to access social security and welfare schemes anywhere in the country. Registration is free, can be done through a self-registration portal or at Common Service Centres (CSCs), and includes an accident insurance cover for eligible workers. The aim is to create a single, Aadhaar-seeded register of the informal workforce so that benefits can reach people who have no employer-linked social security.

e-Shram and India’s unorganised workers are closely linked, because the great majority of the country’s workforce earns a living outside formal, regulated employment. This explainer describes who counts as an unorganised worker, who can register on e-Shram, how to register, what benefits are available, how portability works for migrant workers, and what challenges remain.

Quick Facts: e-Shram

Key Takeaways

• e-Shram is a national database of unorganised workers launched on 26 August 2021 by India’s Ministry of Labour and Employment.
• Every worker registered on e-Shram receives a 12-digit Universal Account Number and an e-Shram card, which is free of cost.
• Workers aged 16 to 59 who are not members of EPFO or ESIC and do not pay income tax can register on e-Shram.
• Registered workers get accident insurance cover of 2 lakh rupees for death or permanent total disability and 1 lakh rupees for partial disability, with the first-year premium paid by the government.
• Workers can register by themselves on the portal or app, or with help at Common Service Centres, which makes the database accessible even without a smartphone.
• e-Shram aims to make welfare benefits portable across states, so that migrant workers can access schemes wherever they work.

What is e-Shram?

e-Shram is a government portal and national database in which unorganised workers register to receive a unique identity number and access to social security schemes. The name combines the letter e for electronic with the Hindi word shram, meaning labour. The database is formally called the National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW).

The portal was developed after the Supreme Court of India, while hearing a case on the plight of migrant workers during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, directed the government to complete the registration of unorganised workers so that welfare could be delivered effectively. It also builds on the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008, which provided a legal basis for schemes for informal workers but had not produced a comprehensive register.

The e-Shram card carries the worker’s Universal Account Number, which functions as a lifelong identity for welfare purposes. The data is seeded with Aadhaar and the worker’s bank account, which makes it possible to transfer benefits directly and to check for duplicates.

Who are India’s unorganised workers?

Unorganised workers in India are people who earn a living in the informal economy, in enterprises or households that are not covered by formal employment contracts, regular wages or employer-linked social security. They include self-employed individuals, casual labourers, home-based workers and employees of very small establishments.

The unorganised or informal sector accounts for the large majority of India’s workforce, commonly estimated at around nine-tenths of all workers according to official labour surveys. Many are engaged in agriculture, construction, small trade and services. They typically lack paid leave, pensions, health insurance or job security, and their incomes can be irregular.

The Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008 defines an unorganised worker as a home-based worker, self-employed worker or wage worker in the unorganised sector, along with some workers in the organised sector who are not covered by specified social security laws. This legal definition gives the e-Shram database a broad target population.

Common categories of unorganised workers

• Agricultural labourers, sharecroppers and small cultivators who also work as labourers.
• Construction workers, including masons, helpers, painters and electricians.
• Domestic workers, cooks, drivers and caregivers working in households.
• Street vendors, hawkers and small shopkeepers.
• Gig and platform workers such as delivery partners and ride-hailing drivers.
• Home-based workers, weavers, artisans, fishers, tailors and beedi rollers.
• Migrant workers who move across states for seasonal or long-term jobs.

Who can register on e-Shram?

Any unorganised worker aged between 16 and 59 years who is not a member of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) or the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), and who is not an income-tax payer, can register on e-Shram. The worker must have an Aadhaar number, a mobile number linked to Aadhaar for verification and a bank account.

The age range reflects the working-age population and the fact that the insurance and pension schemes linked to the portal have age limits. Workers above 59 or below 16 are outside the current registration criteria. Workers who already have employer-based social security such as provident fund or ESIC are excluded because they are covered under other schemes.

How do workers register on e-Shram?

Workers register on e-Shram either by themselves on the e-Shram portal or mobile app using an Aadhaar-linked mobile number, or with assistance at a nearby Common Service Centre (CSC), a state seva kendra or a post office. After verification, the worker receives a Universal Account Number and can download the e-Shram card.

Self-registration

For self-registration, the worker visits the e-Shram portal or uses the UMANG mobile application, enters the Aadhaar-linked mobile number, verifies it through a one-time password and then fills in personal details, occupation, skills, bank account and family details. The system checks the eligibility conditions, and on submission the worker receives the UAN and card.

Assisted registration

Many unorganised workers do not have smartphones or digital literacy. For them, Common Service Centres, which are village-level digital access points, provide registration support, often at no charge to the worker. Labour department offices, state facilitation centres and post offices also assist. This assisted route has been important in reaching workers in rural areas.

Steps in brief

• Keep the Aadhaar number, Aadhaar-linked mobile number and bank details ready.
• Go to the e-Shram portal or app, or visit a Common Service Centre.
• Verify identity through a one-time password or biometric authentication.
• Fill in details on occupation, education, skills and family members.
• Submit the form and download the e-Shram card with the 12-digit UAN.

Workers can update their details later, for example when they change occupation or address. The toll-free helpline 14434 provides support in several languages.

What benefits do e-Shram registered workers get?

Registered e-Shram workers receive accident insurance cover under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, a unique identity for welfare, and priority access to social security schemes for the unorganised sector. The insurance gives 2 lakh rupees in case of accidental death or permanent total disability and 1 lakh rupees for permanent partial disability, with the premium for the first year paid by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Beyond insurance, the database serves as a platform to deliver and connect various schemes. The government can use e-Shram data to identify eligible workers for programmes and to send them information. Workers can also be linked to skilling, employment and pension opportunities.

Linked schemes and services

• Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY): accident insurance as described above.
• Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM): a voluntary contributory pension scheme for unorganised workers that offers a monthly pension after the age of 60.
• National Career Service: job matching and career guidance linked with the database.
• Skill development programmes, such as those under Skill India, which can be targeted at registered workers.
• Health coverage under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY for eligible households, and other state or central schemes.
• Welfare programmes of State governments and Construction Workers Welfare Boards, which can use the database to identify beneficiaries.

The platform has also been described as a base for relief delivery during emergencies and disasters, because the government has a reliable record of workers, their occupations and their bank accounts.

How does e-Shram help migrant workers through portability?

e-Shram supports portability by giving each worker a single national identity that is not tied to a particular state or employer, so that the worker can in principle access welfare benefits wherever they live and work. This matters because India has a very large population of migrant workers who move between states for jobs in construction, factories, farms and services.

In the past, welfare entitlements were often available only in the worker’s home state or district. Benefits such as ration, insurance or welfare board support might be lost when a family migrated. A national register linked to Aadhaar, mobile numbers and bank accounts is meant to reduce this problem and to help states plan services for migrants.

The idea of portability is related to other national measures, including the One Nation One Ration Card scheme, which lets beneficiaries of the Public Distribution System collect subsidised grain from any fair price shop in the country, and Aadhaar-based direct benefit transfer. e-Shram complements these by identifying the worker’s occupation and skills, which can help in targeted support.

How are gig and platform workers covered?

Gig and platform workers, such as delivery partners and app-based drivers, are recognised as a distinct category in India’s labour policy, and they are eligible to register on e-Shram if they meet the eligibility criteria. The Code on Social Security, 2020 defines gig workers and platform workers for the first time in Indian law and provides for schemes to be notified for them.

The Union Budget for 2025-26 announced the registration of gig workers on the e-Shram portal, along with identity cards and health coverage under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY. Some states have also passed or proposed laws for the welfare of platform workers. The detailed arrangements for contribution by aggregators and the extent of benefits are evolving, so official notifications give the current position.

What is the legal and policy background of e-Shram?

The legal background of e-Shram lies in the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008, the sector-specific welfare laws such as the Building and Other Construction Workers Act, 1996, and the labour codes passed since 2019. Article 41 of the Constitution of India, a Directive Principle of State Policy, asks the State to make effective provision for public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age and sickness, and the register is meant to help give practical effect to this goal.

Important related laws and schemes

• Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008: framework for welfare schemes for informal workers.
• Building and Other Construction Workers Act, 1996: welfare boards funded by a cess on construction costs.
• Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014: legal recognition of vendors, along with the PM SVANidhi credit facility.
• Code on Social Security, 2020: consolidates social security laws and includes gig and platform workers.
• Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (2019): voluntary pension scheme.

What are the challenges facing e-Shram?

The main challenges facing e-Shram are converting registration into real benefits, maintaining accurate data, reaching workers with limited digital access, handling duplicate or incorrect records and ensuring that states and welfare boards actually use the platform. A registry on its own does not provide benefits unless programmes are linked to it and funded.

Key concerns

• Benefit depth: The accident insurance is helpful but limited, and workers need pensions, health cover and income support to see tangible gains.
• Data quality: Information is self-declared and must be updated regularly to stay useful.
• Digital divide: Workers who lack Aadhaar-linked mobile numbers or bank accounts may be unable to register without help.
• Integration: States have their own welfare boards and databases that need to be connected to the national register.
• Privacy: Large databases of personal data require strong safeguards under data-protection rules.
• Coverage of excluded groups: Workers older than 59 or those who pay income tax cannot register, even if their jobs are informal.

Supporters emphasise that a national register is a necessary first step for targeted, efficient welfare. Critics argue that registration should lead to enforceable entitlements, not only to a database entry.

How many workers have registered and who are they?

More than 30 crore unorganised workers have registered on e-Shram since its launch, making it one of the largest worker databases in the world. Official dashboards show that agriculture is the largest sector among registrants, followed by domestic and household work and construction, and that women account for roughly half of the registrations.

These numbers are updated regularly and rise over time, so the official e-Shram dashboard provides the latest figures. The scale of registration reflects both the size of the unorganised workforce and the effort by states and CSCs in running enrolment drives. The government has also integrated e-Shram with other databases and launched a one-stop platform to let workers view all linked schemes in one place.

Bottom Line

e-Shram gives India’s unorganised workers a unique identity, a free accident insurance cover and the beginnings of portable welfare, built on a national database launched in 2021. Its long-term value depends on linking the register to meaningful pensions, health coverage and income support, and on keeping the data accurate and secure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is e-Shram?

e-Shram is India’s national database of unorganised workers, launched on 26 August 2021 by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Registered workers get a 12-digit Universal Account Number and an e-Shram card. The platform is meant to help deliver social security and welfare schemes to informal workers.

Who is eligible to register on e-Shram?

Unorganised workers aged 16 to 59 years who are not members of EPFO or ESIC and do not pay income tax are eligible to register on e-Shram. Applicants need an Aadhaar number, an Aadhaar-linked mobile number and a bank account. Registration is free of cost.

How can I register on e-Shram?

You can register on e-Shram through the official portal or mobile app by verifying your Aadhaar-linked mobile number, or by visiting a nearby Common Service Centre for assisted registration. After you submit your details, you receive a Universal Account Number and can download your e-Shram card. The helpline 14434 can help with problems.

What insurance cover does e-Shram provide?

e-Shram registration provides accident insurance under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, with 2 lakh rupees for accidental death or permanent total disability and 1 lakh rupees for permanent partial disability. The premium for the first year is paid by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Continuing cover after the first year depends on the scheme’s rules.

Are gig workers and street vendors covered by e-Shram?

Yes, gig and platform workers, street vendors, domestic workers, construction workers and farm labourers can register on e-Shram if they meet the age and membership criteria. The Code on Social Security, 2020 recognises gig and platform workers in law, and the 2025-26 Budget announced their registration on the portal. Benefits for specific groups depend on schemes notified by the government.

Does e-Shram help migrant workers move between states?

Yes, e-Shram helps migrant workers because the Universal Account Number is a national identity that is not tied to one state or employer. This is meant to make welfare benefits portable and to help states plan services for migrants. It works alongside measures such as One Nation One Ration Card and Aadhaar-based benefit transfers.

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