Rajasthan Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration And Welfare) Bill, 2023

The Rajasthan Assembly has passed the Rajasthan Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Bill, 2023 which seeks to constitute a Welfare Board, set up a welfare fund and provide social security to platform-based gig workers engaged by primary employers or aggregators in any one or more services specified in the Schedule to the Bill. The services include ride sharing services, food and grocery delivery services, logistics services, e-Market place (both marketplace and inventory model) for wholesale/retail sale of goods and/or services Business to Business /Business to Consumer (B2B/B2C), professional services provider, healthcare, travel and hospitality, and content and media services. 

The Bill proposes to set up a Welfare Board for such gig workers with members including five representatives each from among the gig workers, and the aggregators, primary employers, owners and manufacturers. It further envisions both the registration of all gig workers in the state, issuance of unique IDs to them as well as the setting up of a welfare fund. The cess contributed by the aggregators/primary employers at such a rate as may be notified by the government shall be a part of the welfare fund. Further, all payments generated on platforms will be mapped on to a Central Transaction Information and Management System (CTIMS) administered and monitored by the Board.

Such workers shall also have access to general and specific social security schemes based on contributions made as may be notified by the Welfare Board and have an opportunity to be heard for any grievances. Every aggregator and primary employer shall be required to get registered with the Welfare Board within sixty days of enforcement of this Act, provide the Welfare Board with the latest data of all platform based gig workers engaged by him within sixty days of enforcement of this Act, update the Board about any changes, i.e., increase or decrease in numbers of platform based gig workers in the data provided within one month of such change, deposit the amount of platform based gig workers welfare cess levied by the fifth day of each calendar month, and submit a monthly return in such form as may be prescribed by fifth day of each calendar month. The proposed Act prescribes a fine for contravention of its provisions of the primary employers and aggregators.