BENGALURU: The Congress government will bring in a bill to implement the Gig Workers’ Welfare Act, and to set up a welfare board for gig workers on the lines of the board for construction workers.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Labour Minister Santhosh Lad, IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge and Industries Minister MB Patil met Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi at his Delhi residence to discuss its implementation, as promised during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and elections. “We will table the Bill in the cabinet and implement the Act through an ordinance. The concerns of gig platforms were addressed as IT/BT and Industries ministers were also present at the meeting with Rahul Gandhi,” Lad told TNIE.
The government has decided to establish a Gig Workers’ Welfare Board for the well-being of workers employed by companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Ola, Uber and others. A 5 per cent cess will be collected from the companies, while the remaining required funds will be provided by the state government to support welfare schemes for gig workers.
A comprehensive bill covering all aspects of gig workers’ welfare will be drafted and presented before the state cabinet for approval.
Three gig workers’ representatives -- Rakshitha Dev (Karnataka), Sheikh Salahuddin (Hyderabad), and Nikhil Dev -- who were also part of the meeting, briefed Rahul about the need to set up a welfare board. They appreciated the government’s initiative and expressed hope for better working conditions, according to a communique from the CMO.
Rahul Gandhi, who had advocated gig workers’ rights during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, welcomed the eight-point proposal prepared by the labour department. He emphasized the need for swift implementation to safeguard gig workers’ interests.
The labour department has already introduced three key bills covering workers’ gratuity, cinema workers’ rights, and gig workers’ welfare. The unorganised workers’ sector has lauded the government’s efforts and extended support for these moves.