Tamil Nadu has achieved less than 50% of its e-Shram registration goal for unorganised workers, according to data from the Ministry of Labour and Employment.According to a written reply in the Lok Sabha on August 11, Tamil Nadu was assigned a target of 2.17 crore unorganised worker registrations. However, as of August 3, 2025, only 93.13 lakh workers had been registered — amounting to just 43% of the goal.The e-Shram portal, launched by the Union government in August 2021, is designed to bring platform workers, gig workers, and temporary labourers into a centralised welfare framework. Individuals who enrol on the portal become eligible for a range of government-backed social security benefits. These include medical cover of up to ₹5 lakh under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Scheme. In addition, registered workers are entitled to accidental death insurance of ₹2 lakh and ₹1 lakh in the case of permanent disability, along with access to various other schemes provided by the Union government.While Tamil Nadu is home to a vast informal labour force, it has not featured among the top 10 States in total registrations. In contrast, States like Uttar Pradesh have exceeded their targets, registering over 8.39 crore workers against a target of 6.66 crore. Interestingly, in Tamil Nadu, registration of female workers (59.4 lakh) outnumbers male workers (33.7 lakh). Despite this, the overall numbers reflect a substantial shortfall.Members of the Unorganised Workers Federation have urged authorities to intensify field-level outreach, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas where awareness about the e-Shram portal remains limited. The federation also called for the withdrawal of the four new labour codes and demanded industry-specific protections for vulnerable sectors, such as construction, fishing, and agriculture.Published - August 16, 2025 12:17 am IST