Page 6 - Gig Economy

Labour ministry to soon seek Cabinet nod for pension scheme for gig workers

This assumes significance in view of the Budget announcement earlier this month by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman about rolling out of a social security scheme for one crore gig workers

Ministries working out modalities of healthcare for gig workers: Govil

The Finance Ministry, in consultation with the Labour Department, is working out the modalities of a scheme to provide healthcare facilities under the PM Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) to about 1 crore gig workers, Expenditure Secretary Manoj Govil has said. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech, announced that the government will arrange identity cards and registration of gig workers on the e-Shram portal. They will be provided healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojana. In an interview to PTI, Govil said the parameters and details of the scheme are being worked out in consultation with the Ministry of Labour and concerned other ministries. Govil said the social security scheme for gig workers could either be a 100 per cent Central Sector scheme or a centrally sponsored scheme where the cost would be shared between the Centre and states in a 60:40 ratio. "Once the scheme details are finalised, the cost will be calculated," Govil added. Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is the la

Jobs & security: Gig workers to skilling, Union Budget's broad strokes

Health coverage for 10 million gig workers, new centres of excellence, more seats at IITs, medical colleges among key measures

Budget FY26: Boost for cancer care; gig workers under health cover

The government will establish cancer care centres in every district across India by FY25

Maha Kumbh to generate 1.2 mn gig jobs across sectors: NLB Services

The ongoing Maha Kumbh, which commenced on January 13 and will conclude on February 26, is expected to generate 12 lakh gig and temporary jobs across various sectors, NLB Services CEO Sachin Alug on Monday. The observations by global technology and digital talent solutions provider NLB Services are based on internal data analysis and industry reports. The Uttar Pradesh government expects to host 400 million devotees. This historic congregation is emerging as a powerhouse for economic growth and temporary employment, he said. The economic ripple effect of the Maha Kumbh extends across multiple sectors, including infrastructure development, event management, security services, local trade, tourism, entertainment, and horticulture, fostering growth in both traditional and modern business segments, Alug added. In the tourism and hospitality industry alone, approximately 4.5 lakh jobs are anticipated, including roles such as hotel staff, tour guides, porters, travel consultants, and eve

Will Budget 2025 extend benefits like social security to gig workers?

The number of gig workers in India are expected to grow to 23.5 million by the end of 2029-30 from around 7.7 million in 2020-21

Widening the security net: Framework for gig workers set for June launch

Labour lawyer B C Prabhakar said that since the new labour codes are not yet implemented, it is pertinent that the government come up with a holistic framework for welfare of this bulging workforce

Walmart, Branch accused of opening drivers' costly accounts without consent

Walmart and Branch Messenger are being sued for allegedly opening expensive bank accounts for delivery drivers without their consent. Here's all that happened

Labour ministry plans scheme to extend benefits to gig and platform workers

The Ministry of Labour & Employment is working on a scheme to provide various benefits like social security to gig and platform workers in the country, a senior official said on Wednesday. Addressing the CII Global Economic Policy Forum, Union Labour Secretary Sumita Dawra said the labour code on social security has outlined social security benefits for them. "We are putting together the scheme for the gig and platform economy workers because there is no traditional employer-employee relationship defined for the gig and platform workers but we need to bring social security coverage for them so that they can be more productive and support the country's economy and the e-commerce and services sector more effectively," she said. In October, Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that a policy for providing social security benefits like pension and health services to gig and platform workers is under process. He had also said that Niti Aayog has estimated 65 lakh gig and ...

Stress, isolation, burnout: The hidden cost of festive boom on gig workers

Since Covid-19, gig work has boomed, with workers hopping from task to task, but the recognition of their challenges still lags, leaving them to navigate hurdles solo

How gig workers can start retirement saving early with equity funds, NPS

They should not overestimate their ability to extend their work life to make up for lower savings

Pension for gig workers; choosing an EV: Top personal finance stories

This week we write about how white-collar freelance professionals can build a retirement corpus and what to look for in an electric car

Govt working on welfare and social security benefits for gig workers

A new version of the E-shram portal (E-shram 2.0) will also be launched in the coming week, which will ensure the onboarding of platform workers onto the portal, said Mandaviya

Social security policy for gig, platform workers under process: Mandaviya

Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said a policy for providing social security benefits like pension and health services to gig and platform workers is under process. Talking to reporters, the minister said Niti Aayog has estimated 65 lakh gig and platform workers in the country, but the number is likely to be over two crore as this segment is growing very fast. He explained that the service sector is moving very fast to platforms for ease of consumers and expanding their operations. About different provisions of the Social Security Code for gig and platform workers, he said, "We cannot deprive them of their rights till the implementation of the Code. We have to bring a policy before that". About the timeline for bringing the policy, he said the ministry wants to bring the policy at the earliest. "I want to do a lot of things before the next budget," he said. Earlier in the day, the minister chaired the meeting of representatives of various associations and union

BigBasket, Urban Company lead in fair pay; most platforms fall short

Booming gig economy, dismal pay: Fairwork report reveals only two out of 11 major online platforms ensure their workers earn at least the local minimum wage after deducting work-related expenses

Centre asks platform aggregators to register workers on e-Shram portal

Registration on the e-Shram portal is essential for workers to benefit from various social welfare programmes, said Union Ministry of Labour & Employment

Centre considers early rollout of social security for gig economy workers

The Ministry of Labour and Employment is urging digital gig economy aggregators to prepare for extending social security benefits to temporary and freelance workers

Gig hiring to soar by 20% in festive season, e-commerce may lead: Indeed

As festival season is about to begin, seasonal hiring is projected to surge by 20 per cent over last year, with the e-commerce industry leading the trend amid increased demand, according to the data by job site Indeed. The top gig roles that have been witnessing increased hiring are delivery executives, warehouse workers, logistics coordinators, in-store sales executives, and customer care executives, the data showed. Several industries are reporting a marked increase in demand for seasonal workers, with e-commerce leading the trend with a 35 per cent rise in demand, followed by logistics (15 per cent), retail (14 per cent), and quick commerce (11 per cent). "The festive season is a crucial period for businesses across India, and we're seeing a significant uptick in hiring for seasonal roles as companies prepare to meet heightened consumer demand. "The industries that are growing -- e-commerce, logistics, quick commerce -- are doing so because they're aligned with the needs and ...

Protecting gig workers from exploitation: Govt needs a balanced approach

Achieving a careful balance is essential to safeguard these workers' rights and welfare while maintaining the operational viability of the businesses that depend on them

Gig workers to be soon registered on e-shram portal: Mandaviya

He emphasised that aggregators, companies that employ gig and platform workers, will be asked to take the lead in registering their workers on the portal