Power to the People: Labour Welfare Schemes Uplift 50 Lakh Strong Workforce

 

India's Labour & Employment Ministry has made a major announcement: over 50 lakh unorganised workers, primarily in beedi, cine, and mining sectors, have been brought within the fold of targeted welfare schemes in 2025. The schemes, as initiated by the Directorate General of Labour Welfare (DGLW), are meant to benefit some of nation's most marginalised workers and their families.

 

Key Highlights:

 

•⁠  ⁠The schemes provide an integrated safety net in terms of social protection, health, education, and housing assistance to workers beyond EPFO and ESIC.

 

•⁠  ⁠Health coverage varies from outpatient care to cash allowance for life-threatening diseases, with support up to ₹30,000 for relatively smaller procedures and up to ₹7.5 lakh for cancer care.

 

•⁠  ⁠The Education Assistance Scheme gives the children of beedi, cine, and mining laborers an annual scholarship of ₹1,000 to ₹25,000, with transparent disbursal through the National Scholarship Portal.

 

•⁠  ⁠It is handled by 18 Regional Welfare Commissioners to ensure that the help reaches inaccessible and far-flung areas.

 

Prospects: The priority of the government towards inclusive growth has been viewed as critical to these welfare programs, which continue to grow, seeking extended reach and accessibility. With technology-enabled delivery and outcome-based assistance, the Ministry is poised to further enhance the social security safety net for workers in India's unorganised sector over the next five years.

 

Source: Press Information Bureau