Page 2 - Social Security

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

Budget 2025: Social security, healthcare schemes to help 10 mn gig workers

Gig workers will also be provided with health insurance under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, and this will benefit at least 10 million such workers, added the finance minister

Will Budget 2025 extend benefits like social security to gig workers?

The number of gig workers in India are expected to grow to 23.5 million by the end of 2029-30 from around 7.7 million in 2020-21

317,000 villages covered through technology under Svamitva scheme: Nadda

Union minister JP Nadda said on Saturday that the distribution of Svamitva property cards and other initiatives underscore the Narendra Modi government's resolve to empower the people. He said 3.17 lakh villages were covered with the help of technology under the Svamitva Scheme, and 1.53 lakh farmers will be given property rights today. Nadda virtually attended the distribution of Svamitva cards by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Ahmedabad with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Governor Acharya Devvrat. "Under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, the empowerment of the common man has been given great importance. The Modi government always prioritised people and ensured how we should work to empower the common man," Nadda said while addressing a state-level programme. PM Modi distributed around 65 lakh Svamitva property cards, which he said would bolster economic activities and alleviate poverty. These property cards are being distributed to beneficiaries across more than 50,000 ..

Labour ministry urges states to ensure 100% social security for workers

The labour ministry has asked states to extend social security benefits to ensure 100 per cent coverage like health, insurance, accidental benefits for all workers, besides leveraging technology to enhance the functioning of welfare boards. The ministry view emerged at the 16th Building & Other Construction Workers(BoCW) 'Monitoring Committee Meeting', chaired by Union Labour Secretary Sumita Dawra, on January 13, 2025, in hybrid mode, as per the ministry statement. The meeting was attended by DG Labour Welfare, other senior officers of the ministry, additional chief secretary/ principal secretaries/ labour commissioners, of states/UTs, secretaries of BoCW welfare boards, central welfare commissioners, besides representatives from the National Health Authority, and Department of Financial Services. More than 100 participants attended the meeting. As per the statement, Dawra said the states/UTs take required steps for utilisation of cess fund for extending coverage of social ...

President Biden inks Social Security bill in rare public signing ceremony

Social Security Fairness Act will boost Social Security payments to more than 2.5 million retirees - some by as much as $550 a month- by changing formulas used to reduce benefits for certain beneficia

Biden signs law to increase Social Security benefits for public employees

President Joe Biden on Sunday plans to sign into law a measure that boosts Social Security payments for current and former public employees, affecting nearly 3 million people who receive pensions from their time as teachers, firefighters, police officers and in other public service jobs. Advocates say the Social Security Fairness Act rights a decades-old disparity, though it will also put strain on Social Security Trust Funds, which face a looming insolvency crisis. The bill rescinds two provisions the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset that limit Social Security benefits for recipients if they get retirement payments from other sources, including public retirement programmes from a state or local government. The Congressional Research Service estimated that in December 2023, there were 745,679 people, about 1 per cent of all Social Security beneficiaries, who had their benefits reduced by the Government Pension Offset. About 2.1 million people, or .

Widening the security net: Framework for gig workers set for June launch

Labour lawyer B C Prabhakar said that since the new labour codes are not yet implemented, it is pertinent that the government come up with a holistic framework for welfare of this bulging workforce

Transforming EPFO: Can it pivot into a user-friendly organisation?

With the number of rejections rising to almost a third of claims, the government is taking steps to radically reform the country's largest social security platform in order to ease payouts of benefits

e-Shram database now a 'One Stop Solution' for unorganised workforce

According to various estimates, there are roughly 500 million unorganised workers in the country

How e-Shram portal could transform social security, labour market landscape

The government is working on integrating welfare schemes across ministries into a single portal for unorganised sector workers to access, as well as for private firms to tap into for labour needs