It aims to leverage the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and frontier technologies to transform the livelihoods of India’s 490 million informal workers.
Current State of Informal Workers in India
- Largest employment generator: Employs about 90% of the country's labor force.
- Low Productivity: i.e. approximately $5 per hour (Half of the overall average).
- Social Security Gap: Social security coverage reaches only 48% of informal workers.
Challenges Faced by Informal Workers:
- Financial Fragility: Irregular wages, payment delays, no contracts, lack of timely access to benefits.
- Market Access & Demand Linkages: Fragmented job access, no verified identities, limited platform visibility.
- Skilling & Adoption: Outdated methods, no formal training (only 2-5% have vocational training), missing worker data.
- Social Protection & Occupational Safety: No safety standards, health insurance, pension, or accident compensation.
- Productivity Gaps: Manual workflows, limited mechanization, no digital tools.
Key Recommendations by NITI Aayog:
- Mission Digital ShramSetu: Create a national mission to empower informal workers with AI to ensure a future-ready labor force.
- Inclusive AI Infrastructure: Develop multilingual, voice-first AI tools to overcome literacy and language barriers.
- Multi-Stakeholder Engagement: Localize implementation via states and community networks.
- Leverage Existing Digital Schemes: Integrate AI with platforms like e-Shram and UDYAM for enhanced delivery.
