New Delhi [India], February 2 (ANI): As the budget allocations touch upon the welfare of gig workers, Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday criticised the central government, saying that its commitment was “half-hearted”. He said that the central government was behind the state legislations introduced by the Congress governments for the welfare of gig workers.
“The Government has finally awoken to the pain of India’s gig workers but has only committed to the half-hearted steps of registering them on e-SHRAM and including them under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The Government has a long way to go before catching up to the Congress party’s state legislations for gig worker welfare,” Ramesh posted on X.
The former Union Minister credited Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi for being the leading voice for them. He said that Congress governments in Telangana and Karnataka have already brought legislation for their benefit.
“Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi has been a leading voice for India’s gig workers since the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Congress Governments in Telangana and Karnataka, and the former Congress Government in Rajasthan, have brought powerful legislation to bring gig workers justice. Social security for gig workers was also a key guarantee given by the Indian National Congress’s Nyay Patra for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections,” the Congress leader said.
Citing the Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill of 2024, Ramesh said that it was a landmark rights-based legislation that formalised the rights and security of gig workers in Karnataka.
“(The bill) establishes the Gig Worker’s Social Security and Welfare Fund. Establishes the Gig Workers Welfare Board to advocate for gig workers. Mandatory registration of all gig workers with the Government. Aggregators can no longer terminate a worker without giving 14 days prior notice and a valid reason. Aggregators must make payments to gig workers every week,” Ramesh said while explaining the key features of the bill, demanding that India needs a national legal and social security architecture for gig workers.
This comes after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech on Saturday, announced that the central government will provide ID cards to gig workers. Gig workers will also be provided access to healthcare via a social security scheme.
She said her government will invest in street vendors and online and urban workers. Gig workers of online platforms are to be provided with identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal. (ANI)
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