Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday met Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi at his Delhi residence to discuss the implementation of the Gig Workers’ Welfare Act, as promised during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and elections.

The Karnataka government has decided to establish a Gig Workers’ Welfare Board to ensure the well-being of workers employed by companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Ola, Uber, and others.

A cess of 5 per cent of the total payout to the gig workers by the concerned companies, while the remaining required funds will be provided by the State government to support welfare schemes for gig workers and a comprehensive bill covering all aspects of gig workers’ welfare will be prepared and presented before the State cabinet for approval.

Three gig worker representatives—Rakshitha Dev (Karnataka), Salahuddin (Hyderabad), and Nikhil Dev—were also invited to the meeting. They appreciated the government’s initiative and expressed hope for better working conditions.

Rahul Gandhi, who had earlier advocated for gig workers’ rights during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, welcomed the eight-point proposal prepared by the Labour Department. He emphasised the need for swift implementation to safeguard gig workers’ interests.

The Karnataka government has been deliberating on the Gig Workers’ Social Security and Welfare Bill for several months now.

In July 2024, the State introduced a draft bill, inviting feedback and objections from those likely to be impacted. The Bill seeks to impose regulations on aggregators regarding social security, occupational health and safety, transparency in automated monitoring and decision-making systems, and the establishment of dispute resolution mechanisms. Additionally, it proposes the creation of a welfare board and fund for platform-based gig workers, along with a mandatory registration system for both gig workers and aggregators operating in the State.

The Karnataka Labour Department has already introduced three key Bills covering workers’ gratuity, cinema workers’ rights, and now, gig workers’ welfare. The unorganised workers’ sector has lauded the government’s efforts and extended full support for this progressive move.

Published on April 3, 2025