Gandhinagar: To cater to the ever-growing workforce of gig workers in the state, govt is planning to set up a new Gig Workers Social Welfare Board and fund to carry out welfare initiatives.Top sources familiar with the development said the state govt is considering forming a dedicated social welfare board and fund for gig workers on the lines of the construction workers’ welfare board in the state. Govt may also introduce a gig workers’ welfare cess, similar to the construction sector, if required, to build a corpus for the fund. The proposal was discussed during the recent hintan shibir and is now in the final stages of approval. Govt is in the process of finalizing the structure of the gig workers’ welfare board and fund, which will soon extend benefits such as insurance, social security, and healthcare facilities to all registered gig workers. The board is also expected to ensure minimum wages and other benefits. The move aligns with the comprehensive Labour Codes. Code 3 of the Union govt — the Code on Social Security — extends coverage to all workers, including those in unorganized, gig, and platform sectors, covering life, health, maternity, and provident fund benefits.The state govt is also working on a mechanism to integrate the rapidly expanding gig workforce into the formal employment structure by introducing provisions for employee benefits and creating opportunities for skill development, among other measures.Gig workers — individuals engaged in short-term, project-based, or freelance work outside the traditional employer-employee framework — form a significant workforce. At present, most gig workers are associated with online platforms as delivery personnel but continue to function within the unorganised sector. All such workers are set to be covered under a new policy that will soon be drafted by the state labour, skill development, and employment department, senior government sources said.
