A National Intelligence Framework for Informal Workers

The Government of India is committed to strengthening social security and expanding its digital public infrastructure to better serve citizens. Its aim is to address the day-to-day challenges faced by workers in the unorganized sector and bring greater convenience to people across the country. 

To advance this mission, the Government of India launched the eShram portal, a landmark initiative designed to support and uplift the informal workforce that drives much of the nation’s economy. Deployed on Microsoft Azure, this unified database provides around 313 million workers with access to social security, insurance, direct benefit transfers, and job opportunities. It is integrated with the Labour Ministry’s National Career Service (NCS), a portal offering automated services such as curriculum vitae generation and mock interviews powered by Azure OpenAI solutions. 

The impact is already evident. eShram aggregates and digitizes worker registrations in the informal sector, enabling instant access to insurance, direct benefit transfers, and social aid. Job seekers are connected to employers, physical job exchanges, and model counselling centers. Registered users, across both formal and informal sectors, can participate in job fairs organized by NCS. Generative AI tools further support workers in creating CVs, preparing for mock interviews, and improving job matching. This enhances platform adoption and accessibility, particularly for those with limited education or digital literacy. 

eShram is multilingual, serving diverse linguistic audiences, and NCS aims to expand into Hindi and other languages to ensure greater inclusivity. The results are significant. It has resulted in a rise in social security coverage from 24 percent in 2021 to 64 percent in 2025, according to a report by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

eShram shows how technology can deliver impact at scale, supporting millions of workers with access to social security and employment services. By enabling the government to manage data safely, respond quickly, and execute welfare programs at scale, the platform has closed the gap between policy and on ground service delivery, creating real and measurable change for citizens. 

What emerges now is a foundation for the future, where every worker, regardless of sector or location, can be connected to security, opportunity, and a more empowered life.

"Over 313 million workers are now linked to social security, insurance and job opportunities through eShram and NCS, demonstrating that technology can support employment and social security on a large scale."

Anjali Rawat
Deputy Director General (Employment), Ministry of Labor and Employment