New Delhi
The Indian government has announced that its labour welfare schemes have directly supported over 50 lakh unorganised workers and their families. These schemes are managed by the Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Directorate General of Labour Welfare (DGLW).
The schemes mainly help workers in the beedi, cine, and mining sectors. They aim to improve lives by offering education, healthcare, and housing benefits to workers often living in remote areas.
A key part of this effort is the Education Assistance Scheme. It offers scholarships ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹25,000 per year for the children of eligible workers. The scheme is run through the National Scholarship Portal and uses direct benefit transfer (DBT) to ensure quick and transparent payments. Every year, over one lakh students apply.
Healthcare help is also given under the Health Scheme. It includes outpatient services at government dispensaries and also helps pay for serious treatments like heart problems, cancer, kidney transplants, and tuberculosis. Financial support ranges from ₹30,000 for minor surgeries to ₹7.5 lakh for cancer treatment.
Although the Revised Integrated Housing Scheme (RIHS) ended in 2016 and was merged into the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), the government continued payments to eligible workers until March 2024.
The Labour Welfare Organisation (LWO) runs these schemes with the help of 18 regional Welfare Commissioners across India.
The ministry said these programmes give unorganised workers better living conditions, education, healthcare, and housing—reflecting the government's goal of inclusive development under the motto "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas."
