Year End Review- Ministry of Labour and Employment

e-Shram Portal Launched on 26.08.2021 to create a National Data Base for unorganised workers. eShram won “Gold Award” under “Public Digital Platforms – Central Ministries Departments” category in Digital India Award-2022. The President of India graced the Awards ceremony and conferred the award on 7th January 2023.

From January 2023 to November 2023, total 69.26 lakhs unorganised workers have been registered on eShram portal. Overall, as on 17^th December 2023, more than 29.23 crore unorganised workers have been registered on eShram portal. e-Shram portal has also been integrated with NCS, SID portal, PM-SYM, myScheme & DISHA portal.

The other initiatives/ achievements with regard to eShram is as follows:-

• • eShram data is being used for formalisation of other schemes.
  • eShram registrants’ information was shared with MSME for formalisation of PM-Vishwakarma Scheme.
  • Data sharing guidelines/ SOP prepared for States/ UTs.
  • Data Sharing Portal was developed and launched. All 36 States/ UTs have been onboarded on Data Sharing Portal and have access to eShram registrants’ information of their respective States/ UTs.
  • Data sharing guidelines/ SOP prepared for Central Ministries/ Departments.
  • Sharing of information related to Construction Sector workers registered on eShram, with State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Boards has been started. This will facilitate identification and registration of all such workers with State BOCW boards, based on their eligibility.
  • Ex-Gratia module has been launched to provide benefits to the eShram registrants who met with an accident during a specified period, resulting in death or permanent disability.

National Career Service (NCS)

• National Career Service (NCS) Project is a Mission Mode Project launched on 20.07.2015 for transformation of the National Employment Service to provide a variety of employment related services in an online mode like job matching, career counseling, vocational guidance, information on skill development courses, apprenticeship, internships etc. through a digital platform [www.ncs.gov.in]. As on 30^th November 2023, NCS platform has more than 3.64 crore registered Jobseekers, 19.15 Lakh employers and more than 1.92 crore vacancies since its launch in 2015. The portal has registered unprecedented more than 13.49 lakh active vacancies during November, 2023.
• NCS portal is integrated with 28 State/UTs to develop a comprehensive pan-India network. Besides states, NCS has also established integration with multiple private portals like monster.com, Freshersworld, HireMee, TCS-iON, Quikr, Quess Corp etc. to post vacancies. NCS is interlinked with Skill India portal of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Udyam Portal (MSME), e-Shram, EPFO, ESIC, DigiLocker etc. aimed to create an ease for NCS stakeholders to get maximum benefit from NCS portal.

• Ministry will soon launch advance version namely NCS 2.0 to facilitate better job matching and search facility for jobseekers along with recommendation engine for skilling by the use of latest technologies and leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI ) & Machine Learning (ML). Thereby facilitating Jobseekers in getting decent jobs as per their skills and will help employers in fulling their requirement.

Atmanirbhar Bharat RozgarYojana (ABRY) To boost employment generation and to minimize socio-economic compact of Covid-19 pandemic, Ministry of Labour & Employment on 30.12.2020 notified EPFO-linked Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) scheme. As on 05^th December 2023 total benefits of Rs. 10,043.02 Crore have been given to 60.48 lakhs beneficiaries through 1,52,499 Establishments under ABRY.

Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)

• ESIC has significantly expanded its coverage to 611 districts, including Lakshdweep, with a network of 161 hospitals and 1574 dispensaries.

• The number of Insured Persons (IPs) has increased to over 3.72 crore providing social security to more than 12 crore beneficiaries.
• To provide better cancer treatment, since May 2023 ESIC has introduced Chemotherapy services in 38 of its hospitals with 100 beds or more across the country.
• The ESIC is actively improving medical infrastructure, with the number of medical colleges increased to 8, MBBS seats increased to 950, and MD/MS seats increased to 275.
• The other initiatives includes “Kahin bhi, kabhi bhi”; Referral Policy with a real-time dashboard for doctor/specialty-wise referrals, home delivery of medicines and telemedicine for I/Ps or beneficiaries unable to visit the hospital.
• For preventive health, ESIC's has set up public health unit and undertaken mapping of occupational diseases.
• Launch of a 5G Ambulance service provides advanced information on patients en route to the hospital.
• IPs can now avail treatment in hospitals empaneled under the PMJAY scheme.

Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) 

• Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has undertaken various key reforms to provide ease to its beneficiaries. These reforms include the transparent computer-generated inspection system, the introduction of an e-Passbook, Onboarding with UMANG, reduction in administrative charges, simplified monthly electronic challan cum return, etc.
• In addition, EPFO has credited 8.15% interest in over 24 crore accounts.
• To guide members, FAQs on the implementation of higher pension have been released.
• The organization also launched the Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0 program on January 27, 2023, across all the 692 districts in India. Every EPFO office conducts outreach program at district level on the 27th of each month.

India G20 Presidency

• The G20 Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting 2023 concluded on 20-21 July, 2023 in Indore successfully with unanimous adoption of three G20 Outcome Documents on G20 Policy Priorities on Strategies to Address Skill Gaps Globally, G20 Policy Priorities on Adequate and Sustainable Social Protection and Decent Work for Gig and Platform Workers and G20 Policy Options for Sustainable Financing of Social Protection.
• A total of 75+ bilateral meetings were held by Ministry of Labour & Employment under India’s G20 Presidency at disaggregated level.
• The G20 Leaders’ Summit was held on 09-10 September, 2023 in New Delhi and it concluded with unanimous adoption of G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration (NDLD). In the NDLD, Para No. 20 on ‘Preparing for the Future of Work’ and Para 64 on ‘Enhancing Economic and Social Empowerment’ related to EWG priority areas have been adopted in the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

Handbook on Convergence Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav released a Handbook on Convergence of various organizations under Ministry of Labour & Employment on 17.11.2023. The handbook consists of Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for achieving convergence at the field level through collaborative efforts amongst verticals for information exchange, grievance redressal of workers and creating awareness regarding availability of various services of the Ministry and its Organizations.

Audit Paras

• • Main Secretariat:- At the beginning of FY 2022-23, MoLE had 95 outstanding audit inspection paras (pertaining to transaction audit of FY 2020-21), including some paras which were pending for decades. Drives were undertaken to find old files, review past data and formulate clear and comprehensive replies. Two workshops were also organized with D.G. (Audit Team), as a result of which, 84 out of 95 (88%) outstanding inspection paras could be settled. In current FY, the C&AG has conducted the transaction audit for FY 2021-22 in which only 10 new audit inspection paras have been received in July, 2023. Replies of 9 paras furnished. Further, 1068 UCs were pending in MoLE since 1979 amounting to Rs. 129.95 Cr. All pending UCs were traced from records of PAO. Further, a UC settlement drive was undertaken for National Child Labour Project (NCLP) UCs amounting to Rs. 117.43 Cr. As a result, 28% pending UCs reconciled.
  • Audit workshops held for settlement of inspection paras of field units: Audit settlement workshops were held for field units of MoLE organizations under their respective jurisdictions.
  • Kolkata Zone: - In December,2022, a total of 175 paras were outstanding, out of which 96 paras (54.86%) have been settled and rest are replied. In current FY, 158 Inspection paras have been received, out of which 66 paras (41.77%) have been settled and replies of remaining paras have been furnished.
  • Lucknow Zone: - At the beginning of FY 2023-24, a total of 146 paras were outstanding, out of which 35 paras (23.97%) have been settled and rest are replied and 34 para were not related to offices audited.