The Union Labour Ministry is working towards framing of a policy on social security benefits for gig and platform workers by February next year. The policy is expected to be in place before next year’s union budget.

Indications are that the policy will consider unique IDs for gig workers. A mechanism to generate contributions to social security out of transactions done on the platform is likely to be mandated, official sources said. Several options are being considered, they added.

A Labour Ministry committee is currently finalising the draft policy that will define gig workers and their relationship with the employers. This policy will also cover the aspect of determining the employer’s contribution.

Meanwhile, on Monday the module for enrolment of platform workers by aggregators in eShram portal is likely to be launched, they added.

On Thursday, Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met with the employees’ association of platform and gig workers and sought their views on the social security benefits needed for the sector.

The employees’ association are learnt to have suggested that social security benefits be extended as a legal entitlement to gig workers, linked to a unique ID issued to each gig worker.

EDLI Benefits

The Labour Ministry has now approved the extension of benefits under the Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, 1976 retrospectively from April 28,2024 onwards till further notice.

This means all benefits will be continued for indefinite period, and there will be no requirement for issuing any further notification in this regard, sources said.

The EDLI Scheme, which was launched in 1976, envisages for providing insurance benefits to the covered employees who are members of Employees Provident Fund (EPF).

The three year window for availing EDLI benefits had ended on April 28 this year.

It maybe recalled that Union Labour Ministry had on April 28, 2021 extended both minimum and maximum benefits under the EDLI scheme from ₹1.5 lakh and ₹ 6.0 lakh to ₹ 2.5 lakh and ₹ 7 lakh respectively.

Further, the condition of continuous service of 12 months in an establishment was also relaxed on April 28,2021 so as to make more employees eligible for benefits.

Unorganised workers 

Labour Secretary Sumita Dawra on Thursday chaired a review meeting on the welfare measures taken by the Directorate General Labour Welfare (DGLW) for the benefit of unorganised workers.

Dawra has directed development of a standard operating procedure (SOP) or manual in the form of guidelines containing the different categories of unorganised workers and matching them with bucket of central and state welfare schemes.

These schemes are Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyothi Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) etc, an official release said. 

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