New Delhi: The e-Shram Portal, India’s digital platform for unorganised workers, completes five years on August 26, 2026, marking a major milestone in the government’s efforts to build a unified social security ecosystem for the country’s unorganised workforce.
Launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment in 2021, the portal has recorded 31.89 crore registrations as of August 18, 2026. Developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), it created India’s first Aadhaar-authenticated National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW).
Every registered worker receives a unique 12-digit Universal Account Number (UAN), enabling access to an expanding range of welfare and employment-related services.
From Worker Database to One-Stop Digital Platform
The portal evolved beyond worker registration with the launch of the e-Shram One-Stop Solution on October 21, 2024.
The platform now brings together services covering:
- Social security and welfare
- Employment opportunities
- Skill development
- Apprenticeships
- Pension schemes
- Government scheme discovery
The One-Stop Solution currently integrates 15 social security and welfare schemes, including:
- Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-SYM)
- Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY)
- Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY)
- National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)
- One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC)
- Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G)
Connecting Workers to Jobs, Skills and Insurance
e-Shram registrants can access employment opportunities through the National Career Service (NCS) and connect with skilling and apprenticeship opportunities through the Skill India Digital Hub.
The platform also links workers to myScheme, helping them identify government schemes for which they may be eligible.
Through the portal, eligible workers can also enrol in PM-SYM, which provides a minimum assured pension of ₹3,000 per month after attaining 60 years, subject to eligibility.
Insurance-linked services include:
- PMSBY: ₹2 lakh for accidental death or permanent disability and ₹1 lakh for partial disability.
- PMJJBY: ₹2 lakh life insurance cover in case of death due to any cause.
22-Language Support and Digital Integration
The portal’s accessibility has expanded with multilingual functionality powered by Bhashini. Support for 22 languages was introduced in 2025.
The platform also enables the capture of family details of migrant workers and facilitates the sharing of construction workers’ data with States and Union Territories for registration with Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Boards.
Gig Workers Added to National Database
e-Shram also provides for the identification and registration of gig and platform workers within the national database of unorganised workers.
According to the Ministry, around 11.5 lakh platform workers have registered on the portal so far.
The database is intended to support the formulation and implementation of social security and welfare measures for gig and platform workers.
Who Can Register on e-Shram?
The portal covers workers across a wide range of occupations, including agricultural labourers, construction workers, domestic workers, street vendors, migrant workers and gig workers.
Eligibility and registration
- Workers aged 16 years and above engaged in the unorganised sector can register.
- The worker should not be an income-tax payer.
- The worker should not be a member of EPFO or ESIC.
- Registration is free of cost.
- Workers need their Aadhaar number for e-KYC and a mobile number, preferably linked to Aadhaar.
- Registration can be completed online, through Common Service Centres (CSCs) or State Seva Kendras.
Women Account for Over Half of Registrations
The portal’s registration data reflects participation across genders, age groups, occupations and States.
As of the latest figures cited by the Ministry:
- 31.89 crore: Total registrations
- 54.28%: Women workers
- 45.72%: Men workers
- 55.21%: Workers aged 18–40
- 24.18%: Workers aged 40–50
- 20.53%: Workers above 50
- 0.08%: Workers aged 16–18
Agriculture, domestic and household work, construction and apparel are among the occupational categories with the highest registrations.
States with the highest registrations
- Uttar Pradesh
- Bihar
- West Bengal
- Madhya Pradesh
- Maharashtra
Most registrations have been facilitated through Common Service Centres, followed by self-registration.
Five Years of Building a Digital Labour Welfare Ecosystem
The e-Shram Portal was launched with the objective of creating a national database of unorganised workers and improving the delivery and portability of social security benefits.
Over five years, it has expanded into a broader digital platform connecting workers with welfare schemes, employment, skilling, apprenticeships and pension services.
With 31.89 crore registrations, the platform now serves as a major digital component of the government’s efforts to strengthen social security access for India’s unorganised workforce.
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