NEW DELHI: The ambitious National Database on Unorganized Workers (NDUW) project of the Ministry of Labour & Employment (MLE) to register migrant labours and other workers in unorganised sector workers under the 'eShram' portal begins today. 

The government is aiming to register nearly 38 crore unorganised workers and migrant workforce which will, apart from skilled labourers like construction workers and agriculture sector workers, will also include domestic household workers and small vendors and street hawkers who will be issued an eShram card containing a 12 digit unique identification number.

Two days ago, labour minister Bhupender Yadav had extensive meetings with the central trade union leaders from BMS, INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA,  AICCTU and NFITU-DHN who according to the MLE have extended their full support to the project which will help including them in central social security schemes.

Unveiling the logo of eShram, Yadav had said that targeted identification of the unorganized workers was a much-needed step and the portal which will be the national database of our nation builders, our ‘Shram Yogis’, will help take welfare schemes to their doorstep, who are the builders of our Nation. The registration in the NDUW will also ensure that government schemes incentives and benefits will be directly credited to the registered worker's accounts.  

According to reports, to begin within the first phase the ministry is looking to register about 7 crores migrant and unorganised workforce from the state of Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat in the NDUW with a target of 3.5 crore registration from Bihar, 1.5 crore and 1.8 crore from Andhra Pradesh and 1.8 Gujarat respectively. 

The ministry has also proposed a national toll-free number, 14434 to assist and address the queries of workers seeking registration on the portal.

The plight of the migrant workers came into the limelight post COVID-19 when national and regional lockdowns were announced across the country. Millions of migrants lost their jobs and were seen helplessly trying to return to their home towns and villages. 

Several states are proposing to set up such portals for migrants to register online, with Gujarat Government launching a portal that saw a registration of over 100,000 workers within weeks.