Only 3.62% of Rajasthan's workers registered to Centre's pension scheme

Four years since its launch, the Rajasthan authorities have managed to enrol less than five per cent of its unorganised workers in the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana

Nearly four years after its implementation, the Rajasthan government continues to face challenges with the Centre's pension scheme for unorganised workers, known as the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana (PMSYMY), according to a report by Hindustan Times (HT). The state government data shows that since its launch in the interim budget for 2019-20, the state has only registered 3.62 per cent of its UW for the scheme.

 

The PMSYMY is a voluntary and contributory central government scheme. It aims to provide social security to unorganised workers aged 18-40 with a monthly income of less than Rs 15,000. Under the scheme, beneficiaries are assured a minimum monthly income of Rs 3,000 after reaching the age of 60, and their spouses are entitled to 50 per cent of the pension amount in case of the beneficiary's death.

 

To claim the pension, applicants must contribute Rs 55 to Rs 200 per month until the age of 60.

 

The report adds that there are around 420 million unorganised workers in India. Despite the Centre's directive to enrol labourers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the data still shows less than five per cent enrollment since 2019.

 

According to HT, the state authorities wrote to district authorities to improve the situation and to encourage enrollment. It seems the reluctance comes from workers who do not want to make the voluntary contribution requirement and some workers' reluctance to plan for benefits that only start after 20 years of enrollment.

 

Labour unions have also expressed dissatisfaction with the PMSYMY scheme compared to previous social security programmes like the Atal Pension Yojana (APY), citing differences in pension caps and corpus provisions.

 

Under APY, the monthly pension ranged from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000, and there was no cap on the monthly income of workers.

 

According to government data, there are 1.36 million labourers registered to MNREGA in Rajasthan, out of which only 400,000 are registered under the PMSYMY scheme.

 

The labour department, social welfare department and district council share the responsibility of implementing this scheme.