International Labor Organization (ILO) has released its World Social Security Report which has shown how India has taken a giant leap in providing social security to its citizens. According to this report, India is providing social security to more than 94 crore people. 19% of the population was covered in 2015, which has now drastically increased to 64.3% in 2025.
Union Minister of Labour and Employment of India Mansukh Mandaviya said that this increase in India’s social security coverage is the fastest growth seen anywhere in the world. He further said that there are millions of people who are taking advantage of various food and health security schemes in the country. Minister Mandaviya added that this reflects the commitment of the government and the goal is to bring empowerment to every single person in the country.
Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also interacted with ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo at the 113th session of the International Labor Conference in Geneva. During this, he said that the Modi government has brought several welfare schemes for the poor in the last 11 years.
ILO is a United Nations agency dedicated to labor rights and social justice. It periodically evaluates social security coverage among its member countries. There are 9 categories across which data is collected and then analyzed.
These categories include unemployment allowance, family and child benefits, health protection, old age pension, employment injury benefit, maternity benefit, disability benefit, sickness benefit through income replacement and survivor benefit.
To get ILO recognition, the social security scheme of any country must be legally supported, actively implemented and presented with verified data for the last three years.
India’s social security system has expanded significantly through various welfare programs. Its goal is to provide financial security, health care and food assistance to millions of people.
These programs have played an important role in improving the lives of citizens and reducing poverty across the country. These include Ayushman Bharat, e-Shram Portal, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana and other schemes.
The International Labour Organisation’s assessment of 48.8% is still incomplete in terms of India’s social security scenario. According to the report, this is the first phase of the data pooling exercise. It includes data of beneficiaries of central and women-centric schemes of 8 states. After the completion of the second phase, India’s total social security coverage can reach more than 100 crores.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment has launched the first phase of India’s social security data pooling exercise on 19th March 2025 to conduct a comprehensive assessment of social security coverage. The initiative aims to collect data of beneficiaries of India’s welfare schemes.
In the first phase, ten states including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Gujarat have been selected to collect data at the central level.
India is also the first country in the world to update social security coverage data in 2025. The Union Minister says that this has strengthened digitisation and transparency in the system of welfare schemes for the people.
