SRINAGAR: More than 36.63 lakh unorganised workers in Jammu and Kashmir have registered on the Centre’s e-Shram portal, bringing them into the national database for delivery of social security and welfare benefits, according to information tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
The data, released by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, shows that 36,63,922 workers from Jammu and Kashmir had enrolled on the e-Shram portal as of July 13, 2026, making the Union Territory one of the larger beneficiaries of the national initiative aimed at extending social security to workers outside the formal sector.
Across the country, the e-Shram portal has registered 31.78 crore unorganised workers, including 8.45 crore from Uttar Pradesh, the highest among all states.
Launched on August 26, 2021, the e-Shram portal is designed to create a comprehensive National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW) linked with Aadhaar. Every registered worker receives a Universal Account Number (UAN) based on self-declared information, enabling access to government welfare programmes through a single digital platform.
The Ministry informed Parliament that the platform has evolved into a One-Stop Solution for unorganised workers following its expansion in October 2024. Under the initiative, workers registered on e-Shram can access multiple welfare schemes through a single portal and also view benefits already received under different government programmes.
According to the Ministry, 15 Central Government welfare schemes have so far been integrated with the portal. These include Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) for health insurance, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for both rural and urban housing, PM-KISAN, PM SVANidhi, One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC), Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, and other social security programmes.
The portal has also been linked with the National Career Service (NCS) for employment opportunities, the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) for skill development and training, the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) pension scheme, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ convergence portal.
The Ministry said the e-Shram database is being used as a national repository to identify eligible beneficiaries for various welfare programmes, improve portability of benefits for migrant workers and support evidence-based policymaking. It added that the database facilitates integration with schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan and the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) to expand social security coverage for workers in the unorganised sector.
The unorganised workforce includes workers engaged in agriculture, construction, street vending, domestic work, transport, small manufacturing, handicrafts, self-employment and other occupations that are generally outside formal employment and lack statutory social security benefits.
