The government on Monday said social security benefits will be extended to platform and gig workers.
Budget 2021-22: Ecomm workers to get govt benefits; more schools, skill centres on the cards
The government on Monday said social security benefits will be extended to platform and gig workers.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her 2021-22 Union Budget address proposed to set up a portal to collect information on gig-workers, building and construction workers and platform workers to provide them benefits like health, credit (easy financing) and food.
She said that for the first time, the code has made provision for universalisation of social security for the entire workforce.
The gig and platform workers are those who are engaged by various e-commerce businesses like app cabs and food delivery apps. These workers are not paid salaries and are deprived of social security benefits like provident fund, group insurance and pension.
India has a workforce of over 50 crore people and 40 crore of them are in unorganised sectors. The finance minister noted that labour reforms done by the government where the majority of labour laws were concised into four broad codes on wages, industrial relation, social security and occupational safety, health and working conditions.
Sitharaman told the House that the ‘one nation, one ration card’ plan was under implementation in 32 states and in one union territory.
She proposed to set up a central university in Leh, 100 Sainik Schools in partnership with NGOs. The government plans to strengthen 15,000 schools as per the National Education Policy.
The government also proposes to amend apprenticeship law to enhance opportunities for youths. Modalities are being worked out for a national research foundation for which Rs 50,000 crore has been earmarked for five years, she said.