CUTS International Hosts Virtual Roundtable On Gig Workers’ Welfare In India

New Delhi, Mar 18 (KNN) CUTS International, in collaboration with GIZ, Germany and CUTS Institute for Regulation and Competition, convened a virtual Roundtable Discussion titled ‘Gig Workers’ Welfare in India: Concerns and Solutions’ on Friday.

The event aimed to delve into the complexities of India's gig economy and explore avenues for bolstering the welfare of gig workers.

Participants engaged in insightful discussions, offering recommendations to address the multifaceted challenges faced by gig workers in the country.

Dr. Shubhashish Gangopadhyay, Research Director, Indian Development Foundation, underscored the need for a macroeconomic approach to alleviate challenges encountered by gig workers.

He emphasised the importance of identifying the return on investment in the sector to combat issues like lower wages, particularly among informal workers.

He stated, “We must identify the return on investment in this sector to combat the scourge of lower wages, especially among informal workers."

Sarah Wagner, Project Manager, GIZ, Germany, stressed the significance of providing information and training to enhance workers’ bargaining power, amidst challenges stemming from policy inadequacies and market concentration.

Moderating the discussion, Bipul Chattopadhyay, Executive Director, CUTS, highlighted the intricate interplay between law and economics in addressing the vulnerabilities of India’s gig economy.

He advocated for the implementation of a robust Social Security Code to enhance job quality and working conditions for blue-collar gig workers.

Dr. Aruna Sharma, Former Secretary, Ministry of Steel and distinguished Fellow at CUTS, called for a centralised approach through the introduction of a universal social security code, emphasising the need for synergy between labour laws, the IT Act, and competition regulations.

Industry experts like Gayathri Vasudevan, CEO, LabourNet India, and Badal Malick, CBO & Co-Founder, KarmaLife AI, provided insights into the challenges faced by gig workers, from self-upskilling to financial hardships, and advocated for innovative solutions to empower them financially.

Bornali Bhandari, Professor, National Council for Applied Economic Research, highlighted the lack of pension and paid leaves for gig workers, underscoring the need for comprehensive reforms in the sector.

The roundtable discussion served as a pivotal platform to engage in constructive dialogue on the challenges confronting gig workers in India and explore pragmatic solutions to promote their welfare and economic empowerment.

The panel rightly emphasised the necessity for a macroeconomic perspective and further research to improve conditions for gig workers, stressing the importance of identifying evolving trends and sector-specific skills to meet the demands of the gig economy effectively.

(KNN Bureau)