Social Protection Cover in India Rises to Over 64% in 2025: ILO

Brief Context

In News According to the latest data from International Labour Organization’s (ILO) ILOSTAT, India’s social security coverage in 2025 stood at 64.3 per cent, up from 19 per cent a decade ago. Key Initiatives in India for Social Protection Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-SYM): To provide old age protection and social security to unorganized sector workers (e.g., street vendors, rickshaw pullers, construction workers, domestic workers). Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana (PMJJBY): T

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Syllabus: GS 2/Governance 

In News

• According to the latest data from International Labour Organization’s (ILO) ILOSTAT, India’s social security coverage in 2025 stood at 64.3 per cent, up from 19 per cent a decade ago.

Key Findings 

• India now ranks second in the world in social security coverage, providing protection to more than 94 crore of its citizens.
• Nearly two out of three people in India are now covered under at least one social security benefit — which roughly translates into 950 million people.
• India is also the first country globally to update its 2025 social protection coverage data in the ILOSTAT database, reinforcing its leadership in digital governance and transparency in welfare systems.
  • These include schemes like Atal Pension Yojana, Kisan Samman Nidhi, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Janani Suraksha Yojana and PM POSHAN, among others.

What is Social Security?

• Social security refers to the protection provided by society to individuals and households to ensure access to healthcare and guarantee income security in situations such as old age, unemployment, sickness, maternity, and invalidity.

Key Initiatives in India for Social Protection

• Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-SYM): To provide old age protection and social security to unorganized sector workers (e.g., street vendors, rickshaw pullers, construction workers, domestic workers).
• Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana (PMJJBY): To provide affordable life insurance cover.
• Atal Pension Yojana (APY): To provide a guaranteed pension for unorganized sector workers.
• Ayushman Bharat (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana – PMJAY): To provide health insurance coverage to the poorest and most vulnerable sections of society.
• Public Distribution System (PDS) / National Food Security Act (NFSA): To ensure food and nutritional security by providing subsidized food grains.
• Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G): To provide “Housing for All” by ensuring a pucca house with basic amenities to all houseless households and those living in kutcha and dilapidated houses in rural areas.

Source: ET