Food Delivery, Quick-Commerce Firms Asked To Register Gig Workers By Government

The government on Tuesday asked food delivery, quick-commerce and e-commerce firms to register their gig workers on the e-Shram portal, as the working conditions for these contractual employees garners more attention.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment has asked platform aggregators such as Zomato Ltd., Swiggy Ltd. and Zepto to register their workers. This will ensure "workers' access to social welfare schemes, while aggregators will help develop an accurate registry of beneficiaries", it said.

An advisory with standard operating procedures, outlining aggregator responsibilities, including regular updation of data has also been issued to companies. "Upon registration, platform workers will receive a Universal Account Number, which will allow them access to key social security benefits," the ministry said.

Any worker's exit must be reported promptly to maintain accurate records, it added. A toll-free helpline (14434) has also been set up to resolve any technical issues encountered during the process.

Union Minister for Labour and Employment, Mansukh Mandaviya, is also set to meet with leading platform aggregators on Wednesday on this matter.

Several entities have noted skewed working conditions for gig workers and the impact of quick commerce models on kirana stores off late. Earlier this month, the Forum for Progressive Gig Workers in India received a response on behalf of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry after they sent a letter highlighting poor conditions for workers, as well as repeated faulty deliveries, due to a lack of quality checks.