Directorate General of Labour Welfare

The Directorate General of Labour Welfare is a subordinate office of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India. The Directorate is responsible for policy and legislation related to workers in the unorganised sector and the administration of welfare funds for specified categories of workers, including beedi workers, cine workers, iron-ore manganese-ore and chrome-ore mine workers, and limestone and dolomite mine workers. The Directorate operates through a national network of 18 Welfare Commissioner regional offices that implement the welfare schemes funded by cess collections under multiple welfare-fund Acts. These regional offices issue worker identity cards, verify eligibility, and disburse benefits across health, education, housing, and recreation. Key welfare schemes administered include education scholarships at pre-matric and post-matric levels for wards of beedi, cine, IOMC and LSDM workers, free primary healthcare and reimbursements for serious conditions through 10 hospitals and 279 dispensaries, and a housing subsidy scheme converged with the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. The Directorate's education scheme is delivered nationally through the National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in, with regional Welfare Commissioner offices handling worker identification and beneficiary verification.