India

 

In recent years, the issue of social protection extension has assumed a lot of importance in India, in particular with regards to the positive role social protection can play to alleviate the adverse effects of the global and domestic economic crises, and to strengthen the social dimension of globalization. Important social security, poverty alleviation and social welfare measures are being implemented by various ministries, along with federal and individual state departments and civil society.

Such measures include Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), India's national-level health insurance scheme and one of the main elements of India's social protection floor; the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) adopted in 2005; pension schemes for the elderly, the disabled and widows living below the poverty line (the Indira Ghandi schemes); and a variety of other programmes ensuring, amongst other, access to education, nutrition, housing and water for the poor and disadvantaged groups.

Despite these efforts, many are still excluded from social protection services. Today, around 94% of India's total labour force, i.e. around 370 million workers, are part of the informal economy. Providing this group and their dependents with the social protection they need is one of the major challenges India faces in extending social protection to all.

Total population : 1.3 billion
(UN Population Division | World Population Prospects, 2012)
GDP per capita (PPP US $) : 3650
(World Bank | WDI, 2011)
GDP growth (in %) : 6.9
(World Bank | WDI, 2011)
Human Development Index (HDI) : 0.547 [Rank: 134]
(UNDP | Human Development Indicators, 2011)
Total expenditures on health as % of GDP : 4.1
(WHO | WHO Statistical System, 2010)
Public expenditure on health as % of GDP : 1.2
(WHO | WHO Statistical System, 2010)
Govt. expenditure on health as % of total govt. Expenditure : 3.6
(WHO | WHO Statistical System, 2010)
Health expenditure not financed out of pocket by private households (% total health expenditure) : 38.8
(WHO | WHO Statistical System, 2010)
Public social security expenditure (including health) as % of PIB : 2.31
(IMF, 2007)
Share of population above the statutory retirement age benefiting from an old-age pension : 34.6
(ILO Social security inquiry, 2010)
Share of economically active population contributing to a pension scheme : 6.4
(Various sources: SSI and household surveys, 2004)
Share of unemployed receiving regular periodic unemployment benefits : 3
(ILO Social security inquiry, 2008)

Link to SSI: India | Data from the ILO Social Security Inquiry


Social security schemes and programs by branch

  • Main page
  • Health Protection
  • Employment Programmes and Unemployment Benefits
  • Old-age, Disability and Survivors' Benefits
  • Work Injury Benefits

 

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RESOURCES

Brief overview of social security interventions in India
ILO SRO for South Asia, 2007
Extension of social protection in India: the contribution of health micro-insurance schemes
ILO SRO for South Asia, 2006
Extension of Social Security to BPL Workers
ILO SRO for South Asia, CLASS, 2008

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Innovative scheme

Employees State Insurance Organisation (ESIC)
Healing Fields
Yeshasvini

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NEWS & Calendar

Indian Cabinet Approves Bill to Overhaul Pensions
India backs social protection floor, June 14, 2011
Mission to Bangalore 11, 12, 13 February 2008

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Links

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority, India
IRDA, 2006
Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY)
RSBY, 2007

See all
Experts

N Devadasan
Denis Garand

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Page updated 2012-10-08

 
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