Niti Aayog’s report on India’s Gig Economy
Recently NITI Aayog has released a report on India’s gig and platform economy.
This report is the first study of its kind. It presents a comprehensive perspective and recommendations on the gig-platform economy in India.
Gig workers: These are workers who engage in a livelihood outside the traditional employer employee system. These can be broadly classified into platform and non-platform based personnel.
Platform workers are those whose work is based on an online software app (such as Swiggy) or a digital platform. On the other hand, non-platform gig workers are informal wage workers and self-account workers who work part-time or full-time.
Key findings of the report
- In the year 2020-21, 77 lakh workers were engaged in the gig economy. This is 1.5% of the total workforce in India. Their number is expected to increase to 2.35 crore by the year 2029-30.
- Currently, about 47% of gig economy-related work is in medium-skilled jobs. About 22% are in high-skill and about 31% in low-skill jobs.
Key Suggestion:
- Accelerate their access to finance through products designed specifically for platform workers and accelerate their access to finance through products designed specifically for platform personnel.
- Self-employed persons engaged in the business of selling regional products should be linked to the system. Platform-based transformation and outcome-based skill development should be promoted.
- At the same time, social inclusion through gender sensitivity should also be encouraged. The RAISE framework should be adopted to implement the Social Security Code In this, it has been said to include workers in the social security system.
RAISE Framework:
- Recognise: Recognize the diverse nature of platform work for designing equitable plans.
- Allow: Allow the expansion of social security through innovative financing mechanisms.
- Incorporate: The specific interests of the Platform, including job creation, impact on Platform businesses and workers, etc. should be taken into account when designing plans.
- Support: Help workers to subscribe to government schemes and welfare programs through mass awareness campaigns.
- Ensure: Ensure that benefits are readily available to workers.
Source – The Hindu
