New Delhi: The draft rules under the new Social Security Code propose that gig and platform workers must be engaged for at least 90 days with a single aggregator in a financial year to qualify for social security benefits. Workers associated with multiple aggregators will need to complete 120 cumulative days to become eligible.
The rules count a worker as engaged from the day they earn any income, no matter how small. For instance, if a worker works for three aggregators on the same day, it will be counted as three separate days of engagement.
Coverage and Inclusion
Eligible gig workers include those engaged directly by an aggregator or indirectly through subsidiaries, associate companies, limited liability partnerships, or third-party arrangements. The new social security measures include health, life, and personal accident insurance, with the government retaining the flexibility to introduce additional benefits.
Gig workers registered on the government’s 'e-Shram' portal will also be linked to schemes like 'Ayushman Bharat'. In the future, they may qualify for pension benefits funded by contributions from both the platforms and the workers themselves.
Registration and Identity Requirements
All gig and platform workers above 16 years of age will need Aadhaar-linked registration. Aggregators must share the details of their workers on a central portal to generate a universal account number unless the worker is already registered. Each registered worker will receive an identity card, either digital or physical, to confirm eligibility for social security benefits.
Governance and Oversight
The draft also outlines the composition of the National Social Security Board, which will assess the number of gig and platform workers, identify new types of aggregators, and recommend welfare policies. The board will have representatives nominated by the government, including five each from associations of unorganised sector workers and employers.
Conditions for Ineligibility
Gig workers will become ineligible for social security benefits once they turn 60 years old, or if they fail to meet the minimum engagement requirement of 90 days with a single aggregator, or 120 cumulative days across multiple aggregators in the previous financial year.
