Labour minister meets employee associations of gig workers to discuss health insurance, pension benefits

Labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday met with employee associations of gig and platform workers to discuss possible options to provide them social security benefits like health insurance and pension.

According to sources, various options have been discussed such as deducting contribution per transaction undertaken by the gig worker or levying a cess.

"Since a gig or platform worker can be working on several platforms, they cannot be brought under the employer and employee relationship. Accordingly different options are being looked into," said the source.

One of the options is to assign a unique ID to such workers based on which contributions per transaction can be deducted through the platform. Sources indicated that this may not be deducted from the customer.

This is being seen as one of the top priorities for the government and the scheme could be ready by early next year.

For generation of a unique ID, aggregators have already been asked by the ministry to register these workers on the e-Shram portal.

The new version - e Shram 2.0 is set to be launched by the labour minister on Monday. Sources said the portal will not only onboard several schemes for unorganised sector workers but will also enable registration of gig and platform workers.

"This will also enable the ministry to understand how many such workers are there in the country. Social security benefits will accordingly be formulated," the source explained.

While NITI Aayog had estimated such workers at 7.7 million in 2020-21, sources said they could have possibly increased to 2 crore by now.

The Code on Social Security, 2020 provides for framing of suitable social security measures for gig workers and platform workers for life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity benefits as well as old age protection. It also provides for setting up a Social Security Fund to finance the welfare scheme.

Sources indicated that the proposed benefits would be formulated in line with the Code and no separate legislation will be needed.