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Guide / Social security / India

What social security can an informal worker claim?

Six central schemes are open to informal workers in India. This page says what each one gives, who can join, what it costs and where to sign up. Every rule below was checked against an official government source on 6 November 2026, and the sources are listed at the bottom.

01 / The schemes

Six schemes at a glance.

A worker does not need to join all six. Each one covers a different risk: old age, death, accident or illness. e-Shram is the exception, because it is a national database of workers and pays nothing by itself.

SchemeWhat it givesWho can joinWhat it costs
e-ShramA place in the national database of unorganised workers.Workers aged 16 to 59 who are not members of the EPFO or ESIC, as the Ministry of Labour describes it. Other criteria apply.No premium applies. e-Shram is a registration.
PM-SYMA pension of Rs 3,000 a month from the age of 60.Ages 18 to 40 with a monthly income of Rs 15,000 or less. Members of the EPFO, ESIC or the Central Government-contributed NPS, and income tax payers, are excluded.Rs 55 to Rs 200 a month, depending on the age at joining. The Central Government pays an equal amount.
Atal Pension YojanaA guaranteed pension of Rs 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 or 5,000 a month after the age of 60.Bank account holders aged 18 to 40 who are not income tax payers.Depends on the pension chosen and the age at joining.
PMJJBYRs 2 lakh to the nominee if the member dies from any cause.Bank or post office account holders aged 18 to 50 who agree to auto-debit.Rs 436 a year.
PMSBYAccidental death and disability cover. Rs 2 lakh on death and on the most serious losses, and Rs 1 lakh on loss of sight of one eye or loss of use of one hand or foot.Bank or post office account holders aged 18 to 70 who agree to auto-debit.Rs 20 a year.
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAYCashless hospital treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year, for secondary and tertiary care.Socio-economically deprived families enrolled under the scheme. The National Health Authority runs the scheme and publishes its terms.Check current terms with the National Health Authority.

PM-SYM is the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan. PMJJBY is the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, and PMSBY is the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana. Rules change, so check the official portal before enrolling.

02 / How to join

Where to sign up.

PM-SYM enrolment is done through a Common Service Centre. An eligible worker can also sign up on the portal at maandhan.in. The pension starts at 60, and the Ministry of Labour says that since the scheme began in February 2019, payments will not start before February 2039.

PMJJBY and PMSBY are joined through a bank or post office account, with the premium taken by auto-debit. Both give one year of cover, running from 1 June to 31 May, and both renew each year. A worker who joins PMJJBY late pays a pro-rata premium of Rs 342 for September to November, Rs 228 for December to February and Rs 114 for March to May. PMJJBY has a lien period of 30 days from the date of enrolment.

Atal Pension Yojana is run by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority under the National Pension System. Contributions can be monthly, quarterly or half-yearly.

Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is run by the National Health Authority, which publishes its current terms.

03 / The law

What changed on 21 November 2025.

The Government of India made four labour codes effective from 21 November 2025, replacing 29 existing labour laws. One of them is the Code on Social Security, 2020. The Ministry of Labour says it extends social security coverage to all workers, including gig and platform workers, and that an Aadhaar-linked Universal Account Number will make welfare benefits portable across states, whether or not a worker migrates.

A code on paper puts no money in a worker's account. The schemes above still need a worker who knows they exist, a bank account that works and someone to follow each application until it is decided. That follow-up is the work Act Now India does in Barari Block.

04 / What we found

Cards held and cards understood in Katihar.

In our 2026 survey of 401 informal workers in two panchayats of Katihar district, 8 per cent held a shramik card, although 77 per cent worked as farm or construction labourers. Of the 142 respondents who held an Ayushman Bharat card, 70 per cent did not know they were insured.

The sample is purposive, so these figures describe the 401 workers interviewed and are not estimates for the district.

Read the social protection chapterAll our research
05 / Questions

Common questions.

Is e-Shram registration the same as a pension or insurance?

No. e-Shram is a database of unorganised workers. The pension and insurance schemes in the table each have their own enrolment. According to a Lok Sabha reply of 3 August 2026, PM-SYM is integrated with the e-Shram portal in both directions.

Who can join PM-SYM?

A worker aged 18 to 40 with a monthly income of Rs 15,000 or less. Members of the EPFO, ESIC or the Central Government-contributed NPS, and income tax payers, cannot join. A worker aged 41 or older is outside the entry age.

What is the difference between PMJJBY and PMSBY?

PMJJBY pays Rs 2 lakh on death from any cause and costs Rs 436 a year for ages 18 to 50. PMSBY pays on accidental death or disability, up to Rs 2 lakh, and costs Rs 20 a year for ages 18 to 70.

Can a worker join PMJJBY after June?

Yes, by paying a pro-rata premium. The cover year runs from 1 June to 31 May, so the premium falls from Rs 436 to Rs 342, Rs 228 or Rs 114 depending on the month of joining.

Where does Act Now India work?

In Barari Block, Katihar district, Bihar. We help workers enrol in the schemes they qualify for, organise worker collectives and take what we learn to the administration. Read more on the home page or in the theory of change.

Work with us
06 / Sources

Where these rules come from.

All sources were read on 6 November 2026.