Synopsis
The Labour Ministry encourages platform workers to register on the e-Shram portal for timely access to benefits under the AB-PMJAY health scheme, which offers substantial coverage for hospitalization, acknowledging the growing gig economy in India.Key Takeaways
- Platform workers are urged to register on e-Shram portal.
- AB-PMJAY provides Rs 5 lakh health cover per family.
- Over 30.58 crore unorganized workers registered.
- Gig economy expected to employ over 1 crore by 2024-25.
- e-Shram integrated with National Career Service (NCS) Portal.
New Delhi, March 8 (NationPress) The Labour Ministry on Saturday urged the platform workers to self-register themselves on the e-Shram portal, enabling them to access benefits under the scheme promptly.
The gig and platform economy is on the rise, creating new opportunities in sectors such as ridesharing, delivery, logistics, and professional services.
NITI Aayog has forecasted that the gig economy in India will employ more than 1 crore workers by 2024-25, eventually increasing to 2.35 crore by 2029-30.
Acknowledging the vital role of gig and platform workers in the nation’s economy, the Union Budget 2025-26 includes measures for registering online platform workers on the e-Shram portal, issuing identity cards, and providing healthcare coverage through Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
The AB-PMJAY health scheme offers up to Rs 5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization at over 31,000 public and private empaneled hospitals in India.
To ensure timely rollout of these budget provisions, the Ministry of Labour and Employment plans to launch the scheme shortly, urging platform workers to register on the e-Shram Portal for formal recognition and access to AB-PMJAY benefits.
“As a first step, the Ministry requests the platform workers to self-register on the e-Shram portal to be considered for benefits under the scheme promptly,” it added.
Platform aggregators are also encouraged to share this information with their platform workers and assist them in registering on the e-Shram portal.
Currently, over 30.58 crore unorganized workers have registered on the e-Shram Portal to receive benefits from various government social welfare schemes.
The e-Shram portal has recorded more than 1.23 crore worker registrations in 2024, averaging around 33,700 enrollments daily.
The e-Shram portal is designed to register and support unorganized workers by providing them with a Universal Account Number (UAN) based on self-declaration.
The e-Shram portal is linked with the National Career Service (NCS) Portal, allowing unorganized workers to register on NCS using their Universal Account Number (UAN) and search for suitable job opportunities. A direct link is also available for workers registered on the e-Shram portal to easily register on NCS.
