India''s Social Security Initiatives Get Global Recognition

New Delhi, Oct 8 (PTI) More than 94 crore people in India have come under social security cover due to various initiatives of the government in the past 10 years, and the achievement has got global recognition, Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Wednesday.

India has been conferred with the Outstanding Achievement in Social Security Award 2025 by the International Social Security Association (ISSA), recognising the country's exemplary efforts in expanding social protection and ensuring inclusive welfare for its citizens, a labour ministry statement said.

The ISSA award, presented in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last week, was received by Mandaviya on behalf of the Government of India.

This award is a testament to the transformative reforms carried out by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government over the past decade, Mandaviya told reporters here.

The minister also stressed upon the rise in India's vote share in the ISSA General Assembly to 30, which is the maximum permissible limit for any member country.

"This milestone reflects India's growing influence and leadership in shaping global social security dialogue and cooperation," the minister said.

Under the leadership of PM Modi, India has achieved a remarkable expansion in social protection coverage - from 19 per cent in 2015 to 64.3 per cent in 2025, as highlighted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) - thereby bringing more than 94 crore (940 million) citizens under the ambit of social security.

A key reform driving this achievement is the e-Shram Portal, launched four years ago, which has connected over 31 crore (310 million) unorganised workers to social security and other welfare services, he said.

The ISSA award is a prestigious global recognition, presented once every three years at the World Social Security Forum.

Previous recipients of this honour include Brazil (2013), China (2016), Rwanda (2019) and Iceland (2022).

Established in 1927, ISSA comprises more than 330 member organisations from 158 countries.

The ISSA Award 2025 underscores India's commitment to building an inclusive, equitable, and technology-driven social protection ecosystem, ensuring that every worker — organised or unorganised — is safeguarded under the umbrella of social security, the labour ministry said.