In an effort to include gig workers in the unorganized labour by registering them on a national portal, the Union Labor Ministry has announced the formation of an experts’ group to recommend a social-security framework for gig workers.
On Wednesday, labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya said “…inclusive social-security framework and policies to address the unique needs of gig workers.”
A recent research from the Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India estimates that the gig economy in India might be worth up to $455 billion and is growing at an average yearly growth rate of 17%.
The labour minister requested that platform representatives quickly register gig workers connected to their companies in the government’s e-Shram site, which is home to 300 million informal labourers nationwide.
Hard data on business and employment produced by a wide range of platform services—from food delivery services like Swiggy and Zomato to ride-hailing apps like Uber and Ola—is still lacking.
Workers will receive a universal account number, or UAN, after registering on the portal. With this number, they can access government social programs like health insurance and free portable meals at their place of employment.
Participating platform-based companies at the meeting were Porter, Even Cargo, Amazon, Uber, Ola, Urban Company, Swiggy and Instamart, Zomato and Blinkit, and Porter.
“They have expressed strong support for the government’s initiatives,” an official stated during the meeting. In addition, the government established goals that must be met in the next three months for platforms to integrate employees on the e-Shram portal.