5 Government Schemes That Can Help Your Household Workers Get the Benefits They Deserve

Changing someone’s life doesn’t always require big actions. Sometimes, even sharing a little information can make a huge difference. Think about the people who work around you every day—the maid who keeps your home running, the driver who gets you to your destination safely, the watchman who stays awake while you sleep, or the office boy who brings you tea with a smile. Many of them quietly struggle with sudden expenses like hospital bills or emergencies but often don’t know where to turn.

What most of us don’t realise is that we can help them without spending anything—simply by making them aware of a few important government schemes. Many workers are missing out on benefits worth thousands every year because no one has ever told them. These schemes can give them real safety and support when they need it most.

The Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) scheme is one of the most powerful safety nets for families who live on daily or monthly wages. It offers health insurance of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year, covering major hospital treatments that would otherwise be impossible for many to afford. This includes people from economically weaker sections, especially those in occupations like construction, domestic work, street vending, driving, and other frontline jobs.

For many people who work in our homes or around us, even a single medical emergency can destroy their entire savings. A sudden surgery, an accident, or a long hospital stay often forces families into debt for years. They don’t have the luxury of insurance plans or big bank balances. Their lives can change with just one unforeseen illness.

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The e-Shram scheme is the government’s way of making sure unorganized workers—like domestic helpers, drivers, construction workers, street vendors, and more—are not left behind. By registering on the e-Shram portal, they get an official worker ID that connects them to different welfare benefits. The process is simple and free, and they can register easily at any nearby Common Service Centre (CSC).

Once they are registered, they become eligible for important protections. The biggest one is a ₹2 lakh accidental insurance cover, which can be a lifeline for families living on daily wages. They also get access to other social security benefits, including pension support and direct transfers during national emergencies.

The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) is one of the most affordable safety nets available in India. For just ₹20 a year, anyone with a bank or post office account can get accident insurance. The scheme offers ₹2 lakh if a person dies in an accident or faces total disability, and ₹1 lakh for partial disability, like losing the use of one eye, hand, or foot. It’s meant for people between 18 and 70 years old, and the cover is renewed every year.

This small insurance can be a huge help for families, especially for people who ride bikes, drive for work, or do physical labour every day. One accident can change everything, and most workers don’t have savings to handle such shocks.

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The Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) is a simple and affordable life insurance scheme for anyone aged 18 to 50 who has a bank or post office account. For a yearly premium of ₹436, which is auto-debited, a person gets ₹2 lakh life insurance. There are no medical tests, no complicated paperwork—just a basic form and automatic renewal every year.

For workers, especially those in the informal sector, this scheme can be a lifesaver. Most families never get any kind of life insurance, and one unexpected death can push them into financial crisis. PMJJBY offers a basic but powerful safety net: for just a few hundred rupees a year, their family gets protection worth ₹2 lakh in case of any unfortunate event.

The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) is a government pension scheme designed mainly for workers who don’t have any formal retirement plan. Anyone between 18 and 40 years old with a savings bank or post office account can join. They simply contribute a small amount every month, and those savings slowly build their pension for the future.

Once they turn 60, they receive a guaranteed monthly pension ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹5,000, depending on how much they contributed earlier. If something happens to them, their spouse continues to get the pension, and after both pass away, the remaining amount goes to their nominee. For people who work all their lives without job security, APY gives them something priceless—a steady income in old age.

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