Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma says he prefers to use the term Indian Digital Services members, and not “gig workers” to describe individuals who pick up independent, temporary, online or part-time work. Sharma’s statement was put up on social media, along with the video of an Uber rider who claimed to earn Rs 80-85,000 per month by working 13 hours a day.
“Proud of every member of Indian Digital Services, who works relentlessly and takes pride in their work. (Yes, I prefer to call them members of Indian Digital Services instead of gig workers),” said Sharma.
He said that India’s new-age technology firms have started off a revolution in job creation with the generation of crores of well-paying jobs. The digital services ecosystem are being created by these “colleagues”, he said.
Shekhar shared the video of an Uber driver who said, “I make Rs 80-85,000 per month by riding Uber bikes. I work 13 hours a day,” said the driver.
The video shows the individual saying that if he says it, people are likely to make fun of him and not believe him. “If we give time, then work will get us money, you know. Not even companies pay this much salary. I work as per my wish, I am my own boss. There’s no one to tell me anything. I will now just switch the device off and call it a day,” he can be seen saying it to an individual off camera, who captured the entire interaction with the rider.
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS FOR GIG WORKERS
Recently labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya met with employee associations of gig and platform workers to discuss potential social security benefits, including health insurance and pensions. Alternative solutions are being explored since gig or platform workers often do not fit into the traditional employer-employee relationship.
The government’s scheme is expected to be ready by early next year. Aggregators have been instructed to register gig workers on the e-Shram portal so that they can generate a unique ID.
The initiative will also help the ministry ascertain the number of such workers in the country, aiding the formulation of social security benefits.