Centre To Roll Out Policy For Gig Workers’ Social Security Soon

The labour and employment ministry is reportedly working on a framework for social security of gig workers slated to be rolled out early next year.

The ministry is also bringing a module on the e-Shram portal next Monday to enable businesses and aggregators to register their workers on the platform, ET reported. 

In addition to that, it is looking at options to issue a unique identification to gig workers, the report said, citing officials close to the matter. The ministry will also ask aggregators to make transaction based contributions towards the social security benefits such as health and pension security to the workers. 

A committee has been formed by the ministry to facilitate policy draft formation in order to define gig workers and their relationship with their employers. The draft will also mention the contribution determined for the employers. 

Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya interacted with the gig workers employees’ associations and asked their opinion on the social security benefits, yesterday. 

The association put forward their demands for legal entitlement to gig workers, linked to unique ID for each worker and inter-state portability of benefits. 

The e-Shram portal is a national database of unorganised workers incorporated in 2021. It includes migrant workers, construction workers, gig and platform workers.

Last month, the Centre issued an advisory with a Standard Operating Procedure which outlines aggregator responsibilities, including registering workers and updating their data. 

After registering on the platform, these workers will receive a Universal Account Number (UAN), which will allow them access to key social security benefits, the ministry said.

Mandaviya had said, “An online window will be made available for aggregators to ensure a smooth and efficient registration process. This is a significant step towards acknowledging and formalising the roles of gig and platform workers within our economy.”

The government is making swift moves to give a boost to the gig economy in the country. Stressing upon the need for a social security framework for gig workers, the labour minister said that every worker in India, irrespective of their employment status, is granted the right to social security under the Code on Social Security.