(a)whether the Government maintains data of gig workers in country;
(b)if so, the details thereof, gender-wise, particularly Maharashtra and Odisha;
(c)whether the Government has received complaints alleging exploitation and mistreatment of gig workers;
(d)if so, whether the Government proposes to formalize the gig economy by formulating labour polices, if so, details thereof; and
(e)the social protection schemes put in place by the Government for the benefit of gig workers?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)
(a) to (e): For the first time, the definition of ‘gig worker’ or ‘platform worker’ has been provided in the Code on Social Security, 2020. The Government has launched e-Shram portal on 26.08.2021 which allows a person to register himself or herself on the portal on self-declaration basis. As per e-Shram portal, the number of gig workers registered in the country including Maharashtra and Odisha as on 14.12.2021 is as under:
Contd..2/-
:: 2 ::
Country/State Male Female Transgender Total
All India 381,675 346,222 24 727,921
Maharashtra 11995 6799 0 18794
Odisha 27335 24781 7 52123
The Code on Social Security, 2020 envisages social security benefits through formulation of schemes for gig and platform workers and can be implemented through Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) which hitherto provides social security benefits to organised sector workers. It is provided in the social security code 2020 to set up social security fund and one of the sources of fund, is contribution from aggregator between 1 to 2% of annual turnover of an aggregator subject to the limit of 5% of the amount paid or payable by an aggregator to such workers. However, no scheme has been finalized as the provisions under the Code relating to gig and platform worker have not come into force. For the purposes of complaints, there is no definition of gig workers in the existing central labour laws.
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