Telangana prepares draft bill for welfare of gig workers

Hyderabad, April 14 (IANS) The Telangana government has prepared a draft bill for the welfare and security of gig and platform workers, and the same will be finalised later this month.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday said that this legislation should serve as a model for the entire country.

He directed officials to make the draft bill immediately available for public opinion.

At a meeting with ministers and officials, he emphasised that the final draft should be prepared after considering the suggestions, opinions, and objections received from the public. The final version of the bill will be ready by April 25.

The Chief Minister held a special meeting at the Secretariat with representatives of gig workers, union leaders, and senior officials from various departments.

The Labour Department has prepared a draft of the ‘Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Bill’ aimed at providing job security, insurance, and other rights to gig workers. Officials explained the contents of the draft to the Chief Minister during the meeting.

He suggested several changes and additions to the draft. He stressed that the new law should prioritise the safety of workers while also fostering harmony and coordination between the companies and aggregators. He instructed officials to upload the draft bill online immediately and collect feedback from the public.

He ordered that the final version of the bill be ready by April 25, taking all inputs into account. He emphasised that the process should be completed within the stipulated time so that the bill can be implemented on May 1st, International Labour Day.

The Chief Minister noted that nearly 4 lakh gig workers are employed across the state in sectors such as food delivery, transport, and package delivery. He directed officials to accept suggestions, objections, and feedback from all sections of society.

The Chief Minister recalled that the government had promised to enact legislation for the safety of gig and platform workers before the elections. He also noted that Telangana was the first state in the country to implement accidental insurance for gig workers.

He mentioned that on December 30, 2023, the government issued orders to provide Rs 5 lakh accidental insurance in the event of a gig or platform worker’s death.

Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and P. Srinivas Reddy, Government Advisor Vem Narender Reddy, Vice Chairman of the State Planning Board G. Chinna Reddy, Chief Secretary Shanti Kumari, Special Chief Secretaries Ramakrishna Rao, Jayesh Ranjan and Sanjay Kumar, along with other senior officials, attended the meeting.

--IANS

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