Presently, there is no proposal before the Ministry of Labour & Employment to provide social security to unemployed persons in the country. The Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008 has since been enacted. The Act provides for constitution of National Social Security Board which shall recommend social security schemes viz. life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old age protection and any other benefit as may be determined by the Government for unorganized sector workers. For providing smart card based cashless health insurance cover of Rs. 30,000/- per annum to such workers, the ‘Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana’ was launched on 1st October, 2007. The scheme became operational from 01.04.2008. All BPL families would be covered under the scheme. To provide death and disability cover to rural landless households between the age group of 18 to 59 years, the Government launched the “Aam Admi Bima Yojana’’. Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme provides for old age pension to all citizens above the age of 65 years and living below the poverty line.

This information was given by Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Minister for Labour And Employment in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.