Employment & Labour Schemes in India 2026

India has 47 crore workers — 90% in the unorganised sector. They get almost no benefits unless they actively register on the right schemes. This guide covers the key central schemes: MGNREGA, e-Shram, NCS, PMSYM. All free.

• 100 days rural work + ₹220–340/day → MGNREGA
• Universal unorganised worker e-card + ₹2 lakh accident cover → e-Shram
• Free job portal (govt + private) → National Career Service (NCS)
• Pension after 60 (informal workers) → PMSYM — ₹3,000/month
• Street vendor loans → PM SVANidhi
• Stuck wages? 🪄 RTI in 60 sec — 15-day rule applies for MGNREGA wages.

• Rural household with adult members — MGNREGA
• Domestic workers, gig workers, construction workers, farm labour — e-Shram
• Job seekers (any age) — National Career Service
• Self-employed informal workers — PMSYM (pension), PM SVANidhi (vendor loans)
• Anyone employed via PF — see EPFO, ESIC schemes

• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) — 100 days minimum wage employment per rural household per year. State-specific wage rates ₹220–340/day. Apply via Gram Panchayat with MGNREGA Job Card.

• e-Shram Card — universal database of unorganised workers. Free, ₹2 lakh accident cover (PMSBY), automatic linkage to scheme eligibility. Register at eshram.gov.in (Aadhaar + mobile-link required).

• PM Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PMSYM) — ₹3,000/month pension after age 60 for unorganised workers (income < ₹15,000/month). Contribution ₹55–200/month. Govt matches contribution.
• PM Karam Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-KMY) — for self-employed shopkeepers, traders earning < ₹1.5 cr/yr turnover. Same ₹3,000/month structure.
• Atal Pension Yojana (APY) — ₹1k–5k/month after 60. Open to all aged 18–40 with bank.

• National Career Service (NCS) — government's free job portal. 31 lakh+ active vacancies indexed (govt + private). Apply via ncs.gov.in.
• NSDC Skill India job portal — placements from PMKVY-certified training.
• Apprenticeship Portal — apprenticeshipindia.gov.in — earn while you learn.

• PM SVANidhi — ₹10k → 20k → 50k progressive working-capital loans for street vendors. 7% interest subsidy. No collateral.

• Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Cess — every state has BOCW board funded by 1% cess on construction projects. Workers can claim ₹50k–2 lakh for: marriage, education, medical, accident, pension. Hugely under-claimed.

• PM Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) — ₹2 lakh accident cover for ₹20/year. Auto-included in e-Shram.
• PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) — ₹2 lakh life cover for ₹436/year. Open to anyone 18–50 with bank.

1. Visit https://eshram.gov.in OR walk into any Common Service Centre (CSC).
2. Aadhaar + mobile-linked → OTP verification.
3. Bank account (Aadhaar-seeded) for DBT linkage.
4. Self-declare occupation (one of 30+ categories).
5. e-Shram card generated instantly — UAN (Universal Account Number) issued.
6. Download / print card.

You become eligible for several schemes automatically:

• PMSBY ₹2 lakh accident cover — auto-active
• Disaster compensation during natural calamities
• Targeted DBT during emergencies (like the COVID-19 transfers in 2020-21)
• Easier KYC for other schemes — UAN works as universal ID

1. Visit your Gram Panchayat office.
2. Submit application for Job Card (free) — proof of village residence + Aadhaar.
3. Job Card issued in 15 days.
4. Demand for work in writing — Gram Panchayat must provide work within 15 days.
5. If work not provided in 15 days → you're entitled to unemployment allowance.
6. Wages must be paid within 15 days of work completion → if delayed, 0.05% per day compensation.

→ See full MGNREGA RTI guide for delay escalation.

• Not registering on e-Shram — most workers miss the ₹2 lakh accident cover that's automatic.
• MGNREGA Job Card without using it — work must be demanded in writing; without demand, no allotment.
• Aadhaar–bank not seeded — DBT silent failure.
• NCS job alerts not subscribed — you miss vacancies in your area.
• PMSYM contribution gap — 1 month miss = penalty + interest. Standing instruction at bank avoids this.
• BOCW benefits unclaimed — most construction workers don't know their state has a Welfare Board.

No — e-Shram is for unorganised workers (no PF/ESI). If you join formal employment with PF, your e-Shram card is auto-deactivated. Re-activate if you go back to informal.

Yes — the 100 days is household-level entitlement (not per person). Demand more work in writing. If unmet, claim unemployment allowance.

PMSYM: only for informal workers earning < ₹15k/month, fixed ₹3,000/month pension, govt matches contribution. APY: open to all 18–40, choose pension level ₹1k–5k, no govt matching but guaranteed.

Register on e-Shram (you're “platform worker” category). Govt has notified Code on Social Security 2020 which mandates platform companies to contribute. State-level schemes (Karnataka, Maharashtra) have additional gig worker boards.

e-Shram + PMSYM + PMSBY + PMJJBY. Some states (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu) have Domestic Workers Welfare Board with additional benefits.

Search “[State name] Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board”. Each state has its own portal. Register with your construction project's PAN/cess records as proof.

NCS is free, government-backed, has government job vacancies (PSU, banks). Naukri / LinkedIn have more private sector. Use both.

Common reasons: missing Vendor ID (issued by ULB), Aadhaar mobile mismatch, bank not Aadhaar-seeded, wrong vending zone declared. File RTI to ULB for grounds + reapply.

• 🪄 AI RTI Drafter
• 🎤 AwaazRTI
• 🌐 Citizen 360 — find Gram Panchayat, ULB, PIO

• 🏛 Top schemes — pillar
• Government jobs 2026 calendar
• MGNREGA wage delay — full RTI
• 💰 Financial Support
• 🎓 Education & Skill
• 💻 Digital India

• e-Shram official
• MGNREGA — NREGA portal
• National Career Service
• Maan-Dhan (PMSYM/PM-KMY)
• PM SVANidhi
• Helplines: 14434 (e-Shram) · 1800-345-22-44 (MGNREGA) · 1800-425-1514 (NCS)

Last reviewed: 3 May 2026.

• Contract worker regularisation right, SC 2026