Budget’16: FM Arun Jaitley may launch National Social Security Card Scheme

The central government is soon planning to launch the national social security card scheme to facilitate people to get avail benefits of almost half dozen schemes in one platform. A formal statement regarding the matter will be announced in the upcoming budget which will be inaugurated on 29^th February.

• The scheme may first start with the unorganized sector workers facilitating the Aadhar platform and Jan Dhan Yojana. According to official sources, the Labour Ministry has already proposed for Rs. 1,350 crore for this year to register and issue the national social security card scheme for the unorganized sector.
• The security card will contain the details of an individual’s bank account, mobile number and benefits of social security schemes that he/she can avail on own. As government statistics suggest, near about 40 crore unorganized workers in the country (nearly 89%of the workforce) can get benefit from the scheme which will provide the financial benefits of Aam Admi Bima Yojana, the Atal Pension Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Biima Yojana and Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana beside the Old-age pension schemes.
• The labour ministry will implement as well as monitor the unveiling of the national social security card throughout the whole country. It is believed that the ministry has already finalized the design and guidelines to use the card and once their proposal is accepted, the ministry will start registering the unorganized workers and then issue them a single smart card.
• The labour ministry has already last year proposed of the UWN (Unorganized Workers’ Identification) Scheme to provide a smart card to the unorganized workers but the project could not roll out. But according to the official sources, the ministry has reworked on the proposal and it is expected that this will get a nod.

(Source: ET)