BENGALURU: Karnataka government is all set to come out with a new policy under which benefits like weekly-offs, Employee’s State Insurance (ESI) and Provident Fund and health insurance will be extended to those working in the unorganised sector.
The rules are being framed to provide benefits especially to gig workers, including food delivery agents and mobile-app based drivers. According to Labour Department officials, there are over 1.6 crore people working in the unorganised sector in Karnataka. Akram Pasha, Labour Department Commissioner said the draft is ready and has been sent to the Union government for approval. “Once we get the nod, we can implement it,” he said.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Labour Minister Shivaram Hebbar said a survey is being carried out to study the conditions of the gig workers in the state. “We do not have data at present,” he said.
Hebbar said they were waiting for the Union government’s new labour rules which have now been released. Every state can frame its own rules as per the guidelines issued by the Central government. “We have framed the draft and are trying to ensure that it does not contradict with the laws enacted by Union government. As of now, there are no laws or regulations to protect gig workers in cases of accidents or health ailments. We are hoping the new rules will improve the quality of life of these workers” he said.
Currently, gig workers are not treated as employees by their companies.
They are paid per delivery or per trip and have to bear the cost of fuel on their own. Under the new policy, action will be taken against those employers who fail to provide facilities to their workers. eShram portal, designed and maintained by the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment, is being used for enrolment, registration, collection and identification of the required data of all the workers in the unorganised sector, including gig workers. So far, 71 lakh workers from Karnataka have registered their names. The applicants are mainly agriculture workers, construction labourers, garment factory employees and gig workers.