Rajasthan Governor’s assent sought for social security Bills

Recently, activists sought the Governor of Rajasthan to pass the Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill 2023 and the Rajasthan Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Bill 2023.

The Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill 2023:

• Objective: In order to provide individuals or households with a minimal additional guaranteed income in the form of a guaranteed wage/pension, the bill would establish entitlement-based social security.
• Salient provisions:
  • Minimum guaranteed income: Each adult citizen of the state has been guaranteed a minimum income for 125 days a year.
    • This will be provided through two schemes,
    • In the urban areas through the Rajasthan government’s flagship Indira Gandhi ShahriRozgar Guarantee Yojana.
    • In the rural areas through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
  • Guaranteed employment:
    • The minimum wages should be paid weekly or in any case not later than a fortnight to ensure the right to employment.
    • The Program Officers (BDO in rural and an Executive Officer of the local body in urban areas) shall ensure that the work site is within a radius of 5 Km of where the job card is registered.
    • The applicant is entitled to an unemployment allowance if the program officer fails to offer work within 15 days of receiving the application.
  • Guaranteed social security pension: The government will provide eligible categories (aged, disabled, widows, and single women) with a minimum pension of Rs 1,000, which will be increased at the rate of 15% each year.

The Rajasthan Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Bill 2023:

• Objective: This bill aims to address the lack of protection and benefits for gig workers, who were previously classified as "partners" rather than employees in companies like Ola, Uber, Swiggy, Zomato, and Amazon.
• Earlier, the Code on Social Security, 2020 mandated social security funds for gig workers, including life, disability, health benefits, and more.

Key Features:

• Registration of Gig Workers:
  • The bill mandates the registration of all gig workers with the state government to bring them under the ambit of labor regulations.
  • The state government will maintain a comprehensive database of all gig workers operating in Rajasthan.
  • Each gig worker will be assigned a unique ID, which will facilitate tracking their employment history and entitlements.
• Access to Social Security Schemes:
  • Gig workers will be granted access to a range of social security schemes.
  • These schemes may include health insurance, accident coverage, and other welfare measures to provide financial support during emergencies.
• Grievance Redressal Mechanism:
  • The bill ensures that gig workers have the right to be heard and address any grievances they may have.
  • This provision seeks to protect the rights of gig workers and provide them with a platform to resolve work-related issues.
• Establishment of Platform-Based Gig Workers Welfare Board:
  • This board will be responsible for overseeing the welfare and rights of gig workers in the state.
  • Welfare Board — comprising State officials, five representatives each from gig workers and aggregators, and two others (“one from Civil Society and another who evince interest in any other field”).
  • At least one-third of the nominated members should be women.
  • This representation aims to ensure that the interests of both parties are considered when making decisions related to welfare and regulation.
• Platform-Based Gig Workers Fund and Welfare Fee:
  • The bill introduces a "Platform-Based Gig Workers Fund and Welfare Fee" to finance the social security measures for gig workers.
  • The fund will be utilized to provide financial support and welfare benefits to gig workers during challenging times.
• Fee Levied on Aggregators:
  • Aggregators will be required to pay a fee for each transaction involving a platform-based gig worker.
  • The specific percentage of the fee will be determined by the state government to contribute to the welfare fund.