States » NorthPosted at: Oct 30 2026 10:17AM


Centre constitutes social security board for unorganised, gig and platform workers for three years

New Delhi, Oct 30 (UNI) The union government has constituted a National Social Security Board for unorganised workers for a three-year term, with a special membership arrangement for gig and platform workers that includes representatives of major app-based companies such as Swiggy, Zepto, Rapido, Urban Company and Eternal Group.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment issued the notification on October 28 under Section 6(1) of the Code on Social Security, 2020. T
The union Minister for Labour and Employment will chair the board, while the Secretary of the Ministry will serve as Vice-Chairperson.
The notification provides for a 40-position board for unorganised workers, with representatives from trade unions, employers' organisations, Parliament, central ministries and state governments.
It also specifies a 22-position composition for matters concerning gig and platform workers under Section 114(6) of the Code.
"The National Social Security Board constituted under paragraph 1 shall also function as the Board for the purposes of the welfare of gig workers and platform workers," the notification said.
The board has been constituted for three years from the date of publication of the notification in the Official Gazette.
The move gives formal representation to major digital platforms and workers' organisations in the statutory body responsible for welfare matters concerning gig and platform workers.
Under the arrangement for gig and platform workers, the government has nominated five representatives of digital platforms.
They include Dr Jaskiran Bedi, Head of Public Policy at Eternal Group; Neha Singhvi, Head and Vice-President of Corporate Affairs at Swiggy Limited; and Panduranga Acharya, CXO-cum-General Counsel at Zepto Limited.
Richa Mohanty, Vice-President at Urban Company, and Manasvi Mann, General Counsel and Head of Corporate Affairs and Public Policy at Rapido, have also been nominated.
The companies operate in sectors involving app-based services, deliveries, transportation and other forms of platform-mediated work.
Their inclusion is expected to provide a forum for discussion of social security issues involving workers engaged through digital platforms.
The government has also nominated five representatives from trade unions and workers' organisations to the gig and platform workers' board.
These include Indranil Banerjee, National President of the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), and Kishanbhai Govindbhai Patani, the organisation's Gujarat State Vice-President.
Ashok Kumar Shukla, All India Vice-President of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, has also been included.
Other nominees are Dr. Virat Jaiswal, General Secretary of the National Front of Indian Trade Unions, and K Ganesh Rao, Regional Secretary of the Trade union Coordination Centre.
The representation of both digital platforms and workers' organisations is intended to facilitate consideration of issues relating to the welfare of gig and platform workers within the statutory framework.
The Director General of the Employees' State Insurance Corporation and the Central Provident Fund Commissioner of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation will also serve as members of the board dealing with gig and platform workers.
Two experts have been included — Dr Ruma Ghosh, Senior Fellow at the V.V. Giri National Labour Institute, Noida, and Rajendra Padhi, Education Officer at the Dattopant Thengadi Board for Workers Education and Development.
Five state governments — Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal — will be represented through designated senior officials.
A Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Employment will serve as Member-Secretary.
For unorganised workers, the notification lists 40 positions, including the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson.
Seven representatives of trade unions and seven representatives from employers' organisations and industry have been included.
The trade union nominees include G Srinavas, Anjali Patel and G Shankar of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh; Dr Deepak Jaiswal of the National Front of Indian Trade Unions; Ravinder Singh of the Trade union Co-ordination Centre; Mukesh Galav of the Hind Mazdoor Sabha; and Suryakar Jitendra of the All India United Trade union Centre.
The employer-side representatives include Mayank F Dias of the All India Organisation of Employers, Dr Anadi N Sinha of ASSOCHAM, Rajiv Ranjan of the All India Manufacturers' Organisation, Ramakant Bharadwaj and Yogesh Gautam of Laghu Udyog Bharati, Harsh of the Confederation of Indian Industry, and Sanjay Dutt, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tata Realty and Infrastructure Limited.
The board also includes Lok Sabha members Dr Hemang Joshi and Shankar Lalwani.
One position has been earmarked for a Rajya Sabha member, whose nomination is yet to be made.
Senior officials from central ministries and departments dealing with social justice, commerce, housing, road transport, financial services, skill development, rural development and micro, small and medium enterprises will also be represented.
The Chairman of the Railway Board has been included among the members.
State government representatives will include senior labour department officials from Maharashtra, West Bengal, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, along with a representative of the Delhi government.
The Director General of Labour Welfare in the Ministry of Labour and Employment will serve as the ex officio Member-Secretary.
The Code on Social Security, 2020, provides a statutory framework for social security schemes covering unorganised workers and workers engaged in the gig and platform economy.
Section 114 provides for the framing of schemes concerning life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity benefits, old-age protection and other specified welfare measures for gig and platform workers.
It also provides for participation by aggregators in financing social security arrangements, subject to separately notified provisions.
The newly notified board provides an institutional mechanism for considering welfare-related matters involving workers, platform companies, employers and government agencies.
UNI KK ARN
Tags: #Centre constitutes social security board for unorganised# gig and platform workers for three years
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