Context: This Asia and the Pacific regional companion report complements the ILO’s World Social Protection Report 2024-26: Universal social protection for climate action and a just transition. 

• It highlights key developments, challenges, and priorities for social protection in Asia and the Pacific.

Key Findings

• Social Protection: 53.6% of the population in the region is covered by at least one social protection benefit.

• Climate Change Resilience: Social protection programs like India's MGNREGA  help people adapt to and cope with a changing climate by protecting their incomes, and jobs.

India Specific Findings

• 48.8% of India’s population is covered by at least one social protection benefit.

• Total expenditure on social protection (including health) is 5.1% of GDP.

• Challenges for Universal Social Protection: Informal economy, rapid demographic aging, financial gap, emerging environmental challenges, etc.

Recommendations given in the report

• Strengthen social protection systems to enhance resilience, climate adaptation & mitigation.

• Extend social protection coverage to workers in all types of employment.

• Reforming fossil fuel subsidies to create fiscal space for social protection.

• Utilize technology to improve delivery & effectiveness of social protection programs.

India’s Initiatives 

• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) 2005: Guarantees 100 days of wage employment to rural households.

• National Food Security Act, 2013: Provide subsidized food grains to approximately two-thirds of the country's 1.4 billion people.

• National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP): is a welfare programme for the elderly, widow, etc.

• Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana: Provides a health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to poor and vulnerable families.