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CURRENT AFFAIRS
Description
The Central Government has given a green signal for the operation of bike taxis through aggregator platforms, subject to approval by individual state governments. This move is expected to bring relief to numerous gig workers, especially in Karnataka, where a recent ban had significantly impacted their livelihoods. Bike taxi jobs are particularly attractive to economically vulnerable populations, including women returning to work after the pandemic and students seeking part-time employment. A recent report projects that India’s gig workforce could swell to 23 million by 2030, underlining the sector’s increasing importance in the country’s employment landscape.
Understanding Gig Economy
The gig economy encompasses short-term, task-oriented jobs typically coordinated through digital platforms. These include services such as ride-hailing, food delivery, freelance tech jobs, and more. Gig workers are usually considered self-employed, a classification that often leaves them outside the purview of standard labour protections. The flexibility of gig work makes it an appealing option for individuals seeking non-traditional job roles.
Categories Of Gig Employment
Gig work generally falls into two broad categories:
Web-based Work: Tasks executed entirely online, such as graphic design, content writing, or software programming.
Location-based Work: Jobs that require a physical presence, such as ride-sharing, delivery services, and home repair tasks, coordinated through platforms like Uber, Rapido, or Swiggy.
This distinction highlights the diverse and evolving nature of gig-based employment.
Opportunities And Obstacles For Gig Workers
Gig work provides flexibility and the chance to earn competitive wages, especially for women who must juggle household responsibilities. However, the sector is plagued by the absence of regulatory safeguards. Gig workers frequently lack health coverage, minimum wage protections, and job security, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation.
Labour Law And Gig Worker Rights
Traditional Indian labour laws do not adequately encompass the gig workforce. While the labour codes introduced in 2020 attempted to formalize the status of gig and platform workers by proposing social security benefits, on-ground implementation has varied widely among states.
State-Level Interventions
Some states have taken proactive steps to safeguard gig workers:
Rajasthan: Passed legislation requiring aggregators to contribute to a welfare fund dedicated to gig workers.
Telangana: Proposed a draft law to establish a registry of gig workers and define their employment rights.
These localized initiatives indicate a growing recognition of the gig economy’s regulatory needs.
A Call For National Policy
While some progress has been made, a cohesive national strategy is vital to address the gaps in gig worker protections. The current categorization of gig workers as self-employed masks the realities of their work conditions. There is an urgent need for robust legal safeguards that ensure minimum wages, healthcare, and social security benefits for all gig workers.
Looking Ahead: The Gig Economy Trajectory
India’s gig economy represents a shift from traditional employment models to flexible, tech-driven jobs. Though it offers economic opportunities, especially for marginalized groups, sustainable growth will require balanced policies that secure the rights and welfare of its growing workforce.
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