50 lakh gig workers from Ola, Uber, Swiggy will get govt. insurance under ESIC

Lakhs of gig and platform workers in India, who until now were deprived of any social security benefits, will soon be able to avail medical facilities provided under the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation scheme. The Union Labour and Employment Ministry is firming up the health scheme for gig and platform workers, which will be linked to the ESIC scheme, as part of the Social Security Code that Parliament cleared in September.

Only a handful of big gig and platform companies have been providing some kind of health cover for such workers. A majority of such workers were deprived of any benefits in case of any health emergency or accidents.

Union labour Secretary Apurva Chandra said, “The ministry is working on a health scheme for gig and platform workers as part of the Social Security Code, where they will be able to avail ESIC facilities.”

The health scheme will be funded by the social security fund. Gig companies will have to put aside 1-2% of their annual turnover for social security funds of their workers. The contribution by an aggregator shall not exceed 5%.