No Deadline, No Mandate? Gig Workers May Miss Out On E-shram Benefits As Govt Pushes For Self-registration

The Centre has urged platform and gig workers to self-register on the e-Shram portal for formal recognition and access to benefits, including health insurance under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

However, Shaik Salauddin, National General Secretary of the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), argued that platforms already have data on all registered gig workers. He emphasized that the lack of deadlines places the onus on workers to self-register, which many may not do simply because they are unaware.

“They (platforms) have no interest in giving data to the centre for the 2.0 e-shram portal. They ask for Aadhaar, driving license, and bank details when we sign up on the platforms—they already have all the data. But now, they are asking workers to sign up on the e-shram portal and sending notifications for the same,” he stated.

“What happens to workers who don’t sign up? They won’t get the benefits then. Where is the transparency? The centre also hasn’t set any deadline for the platforms to complete the registration process,” he added. 

No Deadline for Platforms to Register 

In response to an RTI query filed by MediaNama, the government confirmed that platform aggregators have no deadline for registering their workers on the portal.

Moreover, it added that, “Information related to encourage the platform aggregators to sign up on the portal is available under the document section on eShram dashboard, Advisory to Platform Aggregators.” 

During the recent budget announcement, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also introduced a social security scheme for gig workers, including provisions for identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal. This initiative aims to formalize gig work, ensuring access to social security benefits. However, defining a gig and/or platform worker still remains murky. 

The Code on Social Security, 2020, recognizes gig workers for the first time in labor laws. However, who qualifies as a gig worker still remains blurry, regarding the precise characteristics of a gig worker. 

Section 2(61) of the Code defines a platform worker as “someone engaged in or undertaking platform work,” but the definition lacks operational clarity. While platform workers likely fall under gig work since companies pay them per task, not all gig workers qualify as platform workers. Some companies may hire gig workers on short-term contracts without sourcing them through digital platforms.

Petition to be recognised as ‘Unorganised Workers’ 

In 2021, IFAT filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking recognition of gig workers as “unorganised workers.” Currently, contracts between gig workers and the companies that hire them classify the workers as “partners” rather than “employees.” The Federation argues that this exclusion from social security benefits violates their Right to Equality, as it denies them access to the same protections available to other workers in comparable situations.

Recently, the Supreme Court also questioned the prolonged delay in implementing the 2020 Code on Social Security, asking why it has taken 4.5 years to frame the necessary rules. 

Three cab drivers interviewed by MediaNama said they were somewhat aware of the new scheme and had registered on the e-Shram portal. However, they noted that awareness about it remains limited among other workers.

A screenshot shared by one cab driver and reviewed by MediaNama displayed a notification stating, “Important government update, please share your e-Shram UAN details.” However, he pointed out that “the notification looks like any other notification—you can easily miss it, and then what happens?” 

This raises a critical concern: Does the lack of prominence in communication put gig workers at risk of missing crucial updates and being deprived of essential benefits?

“At first, I thought it was just another notification, but a fellow cab driver told me it was important. Now, let’s see if it actually helps us or not,” said Yadav, a cab driver from Delhi.

Old Portal Lacked Clarity 

Previous reports also highlighted transparency issues with the old e-Shram portal, which was subsequently relaunched in October last year. Cardholders criticized the lack of clarity regarding welfare programs and the difficulty in accessing benefits. Gig workers also pointed out the complex registration process, noting that while e-Shram covers around 400 occupations across 30 sectors, it fails to account for the flexible nature of gig work. In response, the Labour Ministry allocated Rs. 300 crore to enhance the portal.

Read More: 

• Why the Gig Workers Union Is Calling for Algorithmic Data Transparency
• Social Security or Pay Cut? Gig Workers Face Uncertainty Over Indian Govt’s Pension Plan
• Supreme Court Hears Plea Seeking Social Security Rights for Gig and Platform Workers

The post No Deadline, No Mandate? Gig Workers May Miss Out on e-Shram Benefits As Govt Pushes for Self-Registration appeared first on MEDIANAMA.