18.16 lakh OBCs among 45.78 lakh beneficiaries registered under PM-SYM: Govt

As many as 18.16 lakh crore among the total 45.78 lakh beneficiaries registered under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) pension scheme belong to Other Backward Classes (OBC), Parliament was informed on Monday.

"As on December 1, 2021, total 45,78,524 beneficiaries have been registered under Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) pension scheme. Out of which, 18,16,592 beneficiaries belong to Other Backward Classes (OBC)," Minister of State for Labour Rameshwar Teli said in a written reply to a query in the Lok Sabha.

The PM-SYM pension scheme is implemented by the director general (labour welfare), Ministry of Labour & Employment through state/UT governments.

The state/UT governments have constituted State Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC) and District Level Implementation Committee (DLIC) which have been entrusted with the work of review and monitoring of the progress of the scheme.

The PM-SYM pension scheme is to provide old-age protection to eligible unorganised workers, in terms of monthly pension. The workers of unorganised sector in the age group of 18-40 years having monthly income not more than Rs 15,000 are eligible for enrolment under this scheme.

Under the scheme, minimum assured monthly pension of Rs 3,000 will be provided to the unorganised workers after attaining the age of 60 years.

In another reply to the House, the minister stated that Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) provides Social Security benefits in the form of Pension and Insurance to dependents of workers who were members of the schemes under the Employees' Provident Fund & Miscellaneous (EPF & MP) Act, 1952.

During the period April 2020 to October 2021, relief in the form of pension and insurance benefits to dependents (widow/ children/ orphan/ nominee/ parents) were paid, he stated.

Total number of beneficiaries granted pension due to death of member of the scheme are 1,55,886 who got paid Rs 564.72 crore.

The total number of insurance beneficiaries are 72,181 who got total insurance money Rs 2,003.87 crore.

In another reply to the House, the minister stated that under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) as on November 27, 2021, benefit has been provided to 39.59 lakh beneficiaries through 1.16 lakh establishments.

The ABRY was launched with effect from 1st October, 2020 as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat package 3.0 to incentivise employers for creation of new employment along with social security benefits and restoration of loss of employment during the Covid-19 pandemic.

This scheme being implemented through Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), seeks to reduce the financial burden of the employers and encourages them to hire more workers. The terminal date for registration of beneficiaries has been extended from June 30, 2021, to March 31, 2022.

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