Page 2 - Social Security

EPFO launches enrolment scheme to boost social security coverage

Employers can enrol all existing employees who joined the establishment between July 1, 2017, and October 31, 2025, and who are alive and employed on the date of the declaration

Tax-to-GDP: What India can learn from countries with better collections

Exploring India's tax-to-GDP gap, lessons from global reforms, and the role of social security contributions in boosting revenue and citizen compliance

Social Security whistleblower quits after alleging data mishandling by DOGE

A Social Security official who has filed a whistleblower complaint alleging the Department of Government Efficiency officials mishandled Americans' sensitive information says he's resigning his post because of actions taken against him since making his complaint. Charles Borges, the agency's chief data officer, alleged that more than 300 million Americans' Social Security data was put at risk by DOGE officials who uploaded sensitive information to a cloud account not subject to oversight. His whistleblower disclosure was submitted to the special counsel's office on Tuesday. In a letter to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano, Borges claimed that since filing his whistleblower complaint, the agency's actions make his duties impossible to perform legally and ethically and have caused him physical, mental and emotional distress. After reporting internally to management and externally to regulators, serious data and security and integrity concerns impacting our citizens' most sensitive ...

ELI scheme to boost job creation, social security, says official

The Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) announced in the budget for 2024-25 with an outlay of Rs one lakh crore, will promote job creation and provide social security, an official of Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) said on Tuesday. Regional PF Commissioner-I Randhir Kumar said that the scheme is aimed at incentivising creation of 3.5 crore jobs over a period of two years, that it will be effective from August 1, 2025, and to continue till July 31, 2027. He said out of the total of 3.5 crore, 1.92 crore beneficiaries will be first-timers entering the workforce. Kumar said the thrust of the scheme is on the manufacturing sector, adding that you get benefits under the scheme, the establishments need to be registered with the EPFO. For first-time employees, the scheme provides for a maximum amount of Rs 15,000 per annum to be paid in two instalments. The employers will also get incentives by getting an amount of Rs 3,000 per month for each additional and sustained employme

India may soon have social security agreement with UK under free trade pact

India may soon have a social security pact with the UK as an in-built component of the free trade agreement (FTA) which has been finalised between the two countries, a source said on Wednesday. The source said that from now onwards, the social security agreement (SSA) will be an in-built component of all free trade agreements to be negotiated in future. "UK is believed to have agreed on the social security component under the FTA negotiations, which would be ratified in the near future," the source said. The SSA, a reciprocal arrangement between two or more countries, ensures that an employee while on a foreign assignment does not have to contribute to the social security coverage fund in that country but get the full benefit of employment period for pension calculation, while the employers are saved from making double social security contributions on behalf of their workers. The Indian employees posted abroad or on foreign assignment are required to obtain a certificate of coverag

ESIC launches SPREE 2025 to expand social security coverage for workers

The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has rolled out Scheme for Promotion of Registration of Employers and Employees (SPREE) 2025 to expand its social security coverage, an official statement said. The corporation approved SPREE 2025 during its 196th meeting in Shimla on June 27 under the chairmanship of Labour & Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. The scheme will be active from July 1 to December 31, 2025 and provides one-time opportunity for unregistered employers and employeesincluding contractual and temporary workersto enrol without facing inspections or demands for past dues. Employers can register their units and employees digitally through ESIC portal, Shram Suvidha and MCA portal. Registration will be considered valid from the date declared by the employer. No contribution or benefit will apply for periods prior to registration. No inspection or demand for past records will be made for the pre-registration period. The scheme encourages voluntary complianc

ESIC approves one-time amnesty scheme to cut litigation, boost ESI

The one-time amnesty scheme and re-launch of SPREE aim to reduce litigation, promote compliance and expand ESI coverage among unregistered employers and workers

Social protection cover in India rises to over 64% in 2025, says ILO

India's social security coverage reaches 64.3 per cent in 2025, up from 19 per cent in 2015, as verified by ILO using new national-level data pooling by the Centre

India's social security coverage rises to 64.3% from 19% in 10 years

India's social security coverage has increased to 64.3 per cent in 2025 from 19 per cent in 2015, according to the ILO data. As per the International Labour Organization (ILO), India now ranks second in the world in terms of beneficiary count, providing social protection to around 94 crore citizens. "The increase marks the fastest expansion in social protection coverage worldwide, reflecting the government's unwavering commitment to 'Antyodaya' i.e., empowering the last mile and fulfilling the promise of leaving no one behind," said Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya who was in Geneva to attend the 113th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) of the ILO. According to an official statement, ILO has acknowledged India's achievement and officially published on its dashboard that 64.3 per cent of India's population, i.e. over 94 crore people, are now covered under at least one social protection benefit. It is an unprecedented 45 percentage point surge over the past decade,

US Supreme Court gives DOGE access to sensitive social security data

The decision allows DOGE, once led by Elon Musk, full access to personal data in the Social Security database while the case moves forward on appeal

Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana - A decade of insurance inclusion

PMSBY offers affordable accident insurance to India's vulnerable. With ₹20 premium and ₹2 lakh cover, it has transformed lives, settled 135,000 claims, and ensured inclusive insurance access

US remittance tax plan raises discrimination concerns for overseas Indians

The bill proposes the levy on all cross-border remittances made by non-citizens, including H-1B, L-1, and F-1 visa holders, as well as green card holders

India strengthens social protection, coverage hits 49%: ILO report

It may rise to 65% once data pooling exercise with states is done

'Cleaning up dead people data': DOGE cuts 3.2 mn from social security rolls

The steepest decline was observed in the 140-149 age group, which saw a reduction of 1.13 million individuals, followed closely by the 130-139 age bracket, which lost 1.126 million people

Federal judge blocks DOGE from accessing Social Security data for now

A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked Elon Musk 's Department of Government Efficiency from Social Security Administration systems that hold personal data on millions of Americans. The decision from US District Judge Ellen Hollander in Maryland also requires the team to delete any personally identifiable data they may have. It comes after labor unions and retirees asked for an emergency order limiting DOGE access to the agency and its vast troves of personal data. They said DOGE's nearly unlimited access violates privacy laws and presents massive information security risks. A recently departed Social Security official who saw the DOGE team sweep into the agency said she is deeply worried about sensitive information being exposed. The Trump administration says DOGE has a 10-person team of federal employees at the Social Security Administration, seven of whom have been granted read-only access to agency systems or personally identifiable information. The administration has

Elon Musk eyes Social Security and Medicare as key targets for cuts

Elon Musk pushed debunked theories about social security on Monday while describing federal benefit programs as rife with fraud, suggesting they will be a primary target in his crusade to reduce government spending. The billionaire entrepreneur, who is advising President Donald Trump, suggested that $500 billion to $700 billion in waste needed to be cut. Most of the federal spending is entitlements, Musk told the Fox Business Network. That's the big one to eliminate. The comments on the popular program and other benefits provided to Americans could rattle politicians on both sides of the aisle as Musk works to downsize the federal government, especially as he already faces blowback for his chainsaw-wielding approach to laying off workers and slashing programs. Musk's estimate for the level of fraud in entitlements far outpaces figures from watchdogs like Social Security's inspector general, who previously said there was $71.8 billion in improper payments from fiscal years 2015 thro

Social Security Administration in US could cut up to 50% of its workforce

The Social Security Administration is preparing to lay off at least 7,000 people from its workforce of 60,000, according to a person familiar with the agency's plans who is not authorised to speak publicly. The workforce reduction, according to a second person who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, could be as high as 50%. It's unclear how the layoffs will directly impact the benefits of the 72.5 million Social Security beneficiaries, which include retirees and children who receive retirement and disability benefits. However, advocates and Democratic lawmakers warn that layoffs will reduce the agency's ability to serve recipients in a timely manner. Some say cuts to the workforce are, in effect, a cut in benefits. Later Friday, the agency sent out a news release outlining plans for significant workforce reductions, employee reassignments from non-mission critical positions to mission critical direct service positions," and an offer of voluntary separation agreements. The agen

Share of people under social security coverage rises to 49% in India: ILO

He further said that the consolidation of 29 labour laws into four simplified labour codes has promoted labour welfare

Social security remains a fundamental pillar of social justice: Mandaviya

Social security remains a fundamental pillar of India's commitment to social justice, Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said, noting that its coverage increased to 48.8 per cent of the total population in 2024 from 24.4 per cent in 2021. Addressing the inaugural session of the Regional Dialogue on Social Justice 2025, Mandaviya said, "The unemployment rate has declined from 6 per cent in 2017-18 to 3.2 per cent in 2023-24, while the Labour Force Participation Rate has increased from 49.8 per cent to 60.1 per cent". These positive indicators underscore the impact of our reforms and initiatives. Labour reforms have been a foundation of India's efforts to modernise its workforce policies, he added. The consolidation of 29 labour laws into four simplified Labour Codes has promoted labour welfare, universalised wages and social security, and ensured safer working conditions, he pointed out. These reforms have also improved the ease of doing business by streamlining ...

Govt provides social security to 920 mn people or 65% population: Mandaviya

Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said that the government provides social security to 92 crore people or 65 per cent of the country's population. Replying to a supplementary oral question in Rajya Sabha, Mandaviya said, "About a decade ago, social security was provided to 18 per cent people in the country who are pensionable." Today, he said, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has provided social security to 48 per cent people. "This excludes beneficiaries under various social security schemes of states. If we add food security in this then 65 per cent people are getting social security. India is providing social security to 92 crore people in the country," he said. He informed the House that the government has provided food security to 80 crore people and about 60 crore people get Rs 5 lakh of health assurance under Ayushman Bharat scheme. People above the age of 70 years and gig workers are also brought under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. About 65 c