Hyderabad: More than one billion people in India are now covered under social security schemes, Union labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday, highlighting what he described as a decade-long expansion of the country’s welfare and worker protection framework.He said this at the BRICS Trade Union Forum Summit in Hyderabad, adding that social protection coverage in India had increased from 19% of the population in 2015 to over 64% in 2025, with preliminary estimates for 2026 indicating that the number of beneficiaries has crossed 100 crore.The minister said India’s approach was focused on creating a worker-centric social security system where technological advancement goes along with social justice and human dignity.Highlighting the role of digital governance in expanding welfare access, he said the e-Shram portal, launched for unorganised workers, has registered more than 31.7 crore workers, enabling them to access a range of social security benefits.He said the National Career Service portal was also helping connect job seekers, employers and training providers through a digital platform, improving access to employment opportunities and skilling initiatives.Underscoring the contribution of social security institutions, Mandaviya said the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation has more than eight crore active members and 80 lakh pensioners.He added that the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation provides healthcare and social security benefits to more than 15 crore insured persons and their dependants.Mandaviya said nearly 17 crore employment opportunities had been created in the last decade and the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana aims to generate 3.5 crore formal sector jobs over the next two years through employment-linked incentives.Mandaviya said emerging technologies should complement human labour and called for greater global cooperation to ensure workers benefit from ongoing economic transformation.The three-day BRICS Trade Union Forum Summit in Hyderabad brought together representatives from 14 countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Belarus, Malaysia and Nigeria.Around 50 international delegates and nearly 70 Indian representatives attended the summit, where discussions focused on universal social security, the future of work, responsible use of artificial intelligence, skill development and women’s participation in the workforce.
