Preparation of big relief for delivery boys and cab drivers, ESIC scheme will provide health insurance and accident cover.

Tezzbuzz Desk- Big relief is being prepared for lakhs of workers of the rapidly growing gig economy sector in the country. Employees’ State Insurance Corporation is now considering including gig and platform workers also under the ambit of its social security scheme.

If this proposal is implemented, food delivery partners, cab drivers, freelancers and other platform workers can get benefits like health insurance, treatment facilities, maternity benefits and accident insurance. This will provide security cover to lakhs of people working in the unorganized sector.

What is the proposed scheme of ESIC?

The objective of this scheme of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation is to provide social security to gig workers like organized employees. Under this, work is being done to provide medical facilities, accident cover and other welfare benefits.

Data collection and registration preparation

Work is underway to collect data of gig workers for this scheme. For this, there is a possibility of using digital platforms like e-Shram Portal, so that eligible workers can be easily identified and linked to the scheme.

There will be coordination between government and companies

To implement this scheme, a partnership will be formed between the government, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation and digital platform companies. Registration of workers and distribution of benefits will be ensured based on the data of the companies.

Rapidly growing gig sector became the reason

With the expansion of online delivery, e-commerce and cab services in India, the number of gig workers is continuously increasing. According to estimates, this number may increase rapidly in the coming years, due to which the need for social security is also increasing.

On which challenges will the final decision be taken?

Many important issues are yet to be decided before implementing this scheme, such as which workers will be eligible, what will be the funding model and how benefits will be given to those working on different platforms. Discussion on all these aspects is still going on.