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The government has formally notified the constitution of the National Social Security Board for Unorganised Workers and Gig and Platform Workers under the Code on Social Security, bringing workers in the digital platform economy within the country's statutory social security framework.
The Board will recommend welfare schemes for different categories of unorganised workers, including gig and platform workers, and monitor the implementation of social welfare schemes administered by the Central Government. It will also advise the government on matters related to the administration of the Code on Social Security. The Ministry of Labour and Employment described the notification as a "landmark step toward ensuring comprehensive social security for India's massive informal workforce". The Board will be chaired by the Union Minister for Labour and Employment and will include representatives from Central and State Governments, aggregator companies, employers, civil society organisations, workers' unions and associations representing gig and platform workers. The inclusion of aggregator companies and worker associations in the Board's composition provides representation to both sides of the platform-based work ecosystem in the body responsible for recommending and reviewing welfare measures. The Board will be required to meet at least three times a year and follow the rules of procedure prescribed by the Central Government for conducting its meetings. Its responsibilities will include recommending suitable social security schemes for different sections of unorganised workers, gig workers and platform workers, besides monitoring existing welfare schemes administered by the Centre. It will also review record-keeping functions carried out at the State level and examine expenditure from the relevant fund and account. The Central Government may assign additional functions to the Board from time to time. The notification comes under the Code on Social Security, which provides the statutory framework for addressing social security requirements across different categories of workers. The Board's role will be significant in shaping policy recommendations and reviewing the implementation of welfare measures for workers in the unorganised sector and the expanding gig and platform economy. (ANI)
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