Rajasthan to be first State to Introduce Gig workers welfare board

Jaipur: Rajasthan Government will be the first state to make a law for the welfare of 5 lakh people providing app-based services in Rajasthan.

According to official sources this will be country's and world's first Gig Worker Welfare Board.

It may be reacalled that the app-based services, has become an important part of the daily life and economy in today's era providing services for e-commerce based on mobile phone and online application, delivering items and food on online order, driving cars, bikes, taxis and other such works.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in December 2022 announced to bring the gig workers in the state into the ambit of social security. He announced to form a board for the welfare of gig workers in the state budget 2023-24 on February 10, 2023.

The proposed law will help crores of people

especially youth are working in gig community and their number is increasing fast . But they have been facing several riska as there is no special legal provision for their service conditions, no regularity in jobs, welfare and social security.

Hence Rajasthan has taken the initiative to provide social security to the gig workers. Officials said discussions have been held with various stakeholders on the draft law and it is in the process of being finalised.

It is estimated that there are around 88 lakh registered personnel in the entire country in the category of gig workers on the e-Shram portal of the Government of India. According to an estimate, of these, around 3 lakh people are from Rajasthan.

It is estimated that 2.38 crore people will get employment in app-based services in the entire country by 2029-30.

Registration will be done of the companies providing app-based services and their personnel. A state�level welfare board will be formed in which along with the state government, there will be representation of the service provider companies and gig workers. A welfare fund will be formed

through which schemes for the welfare and social security of gig workers will be carried out. Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot said that a welfare fund of Rs 200 crore will be created. For the fund, a levy (special tax) will be levied on the payment of the bill on the service delivery. The board will submit reform in the service conditions, hear the problems of the concerned workers at the workplace and will also redress them.

Vikas Sitaram Bhale, Secretary, Labour Department, Government of Rajasthan – Rajasthan has taken a big initiative for the people providing app-based services. The number of labourers to be benefitted will depend on which all services it will be implemented. assembly.

It is also learnt that the Karnataka Government is also considering to introduce similar law.