CSC begins registration for informal workers' Rs 3,000 monthly pension scheme

Informal sector workers will now be able to subscribe to the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) scheme and get an assured monthly pension of Rs 3,000 at 3.13 lakh Common Service Centres (CSCs) across the country.

CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd, a Special Purpose Vehicle of the government, has started the registration process for PM-SYM covering unorganised sector in the financial inclusion flagship programme of the government.

The SPV is under the Ministry of Electronics & IT and it will be the nodal agency for the registration process for the scheme covering unorganised sector workers up to 40 years of age making them eligible for a minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000 after the age of 60 in lieu of contributions made under the scheme, an official statement said.

Dinesh Tyagi, CEO, CSC, was not available for comment.

CSC has a network of over 3.13 lakh CSCs spread across India. Of these, over 2.13 lakh are operating at gram panchayat level. With such a reach, CSC is seen as the perfect partner to ensure that the scheme reaches to all needy people, particularly those living in rural and semi-urban areas.

PM-SYM is being implemented by the Union Labour Ministry and is an ambitious social security scheme conceived by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The scheme was announced in the Interim Budget and is targeted at unorganised sector workers with monthly income of up to Rs 15,000.

Stating that the target is to reach 10 crore workers of the unorganized sector in the next five years, a Labour Ministry official said to begin with CSC e-Governance Services has been roped in for mobilizing and registering beneficiaries across India.

The enrolment will be carried out by all the CSCs. The unorganised workers may visit their nearest CSC along with their Aadhar Card and Savings Bank account passbook/Jandhan account and get registered themselves for the Scheme. The contribution amount for the first month shall be paid in cash for which they will be provided with a receipt.

Sources said CSC has prepared an application for PM-SYM and is also hosting it to ensure that the entire registration process and data collection takes place in a smooth manner. CSC will mobilise and register beneficiaries and also issue cards having unique ID number to all those who register under the scheme. CSC is the exclusive partner of Labour Ministry in implementing the scheme.

CSC, which also works as banking correspondents for several banks in remote, rural locations, will also help those willing to enrol under PM-SYM to open bank accounts at the CSC without going to bank branches.

At a later stage, the Labour Ministry is looking at enrolling people through PM-SYM web portal or can download the mobile app and self-register using Aadhar number/savings bank account/ Jan-Dhan account number on self-certification basis.

The monthly contribution by the worker joining the scheme would be Rs 55, with matching contributions from the government. The contributions would rise at higher age.

The worker joining the scheme at the age of 40 years would contribute Rs 200 while workers at the age of 29 years would pay Rs 100. The scheme would cover unorganised workers who are working or engaged as home-based workers, street vendors, mid-day meal workers, head loaders, brick kiln workers, cobblers, rag pickers, domestic workers, washer men, rickshaw pullers, landless labourers, agricultural workers and construction workers among others.

However, informal workers will not be eligible for the scheme if they are covered under the National Pension Scheme, the Employees' State Insurance Corp Scheme or Employees' Provident Fund Scheme.

--IANS

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