National Social Security Board for Unorganised Workers

The National Social Security Board is a statutory body that recommends and oversees social security measures for workers outside regular employment-based protection. Established under Section 5 of the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008, its core mandate is to advise the Union government, recommend suitable schemes and monitor their implementation, rather than directly distribute benefits.

Statutory foundation and representation

The Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008 required the Central government to constitute the Board. Its representative structure brings workers, employers and governments into social security policymaking.

• Under the Act, the Union Minister for Labour and Employment chairs the Board, while the Director General, Labour Welfare serves as its Member-Secretary.
• Its nominated membership includes representatives of unorganised workers, employers, civil society, Parliament, Central ministries and state governments.

Core statutory functions

The Board’s functions under Section 5(8) combine policy advice with scrutiny of implementation and expenditure.

• It recommends suitable schemes to the Central government for different sections of unorganised workers.
• It advises the Central government on matters arising from administration of the Act that the government refers to it.
• It monitors social welfare schemes for unorganised workers.
• It reviews the record-keeping functions performed at the state level.
• It reviews expenditure from funds under various schemes.
• It undertakes other functions assigned to it by the Central government.

Relationship with schemes and implementation

The Board’s role must be distinguished from the government’s responsibility to formulate and notify schemes. Section 3 of the 2008 Act identified life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old-age protection and other benefits determined by the Central government as areas for social security schemes.

• The Board is principally an advisory and monitoring institution; its recommendations are not themselves benefit entitlements.
• State-level boards, registration arrangements and scheme-specific implementing authorities perform distinct roles, so the national Board should not be treated as the sole delivery agency.

Place in the consolidated social security framework

Section 6 of the Code on Social Security, 2020 provides for a National Social Security Board within the consolidated statutory framework. Its remit includes unorganised workers, gig workers and platform workers, widening the categories addressed by national-level social security recommendations and oversight.