Gehlot urges Rajasthan govt to implement gig workers'€™ welfare law

Jaipur, Dec 31 (PTI) Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday urged the state government to immediately implement the Rajasthan Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Act, 2023, alleging government apathy had forced gig workers to go on strike.

In a statement, Gehlot said gig workers, including delivery partners who depend on daily earnings to run their households, were compelled to protest despite the New Year period being a peak time for orders.

"Leaving work on such days is not a matter of choice but an economic compulsion," he said.

Referring to interactions during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gehlot said gig workers had shared their concerns with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, following which the previous Congress government enacted the country's first law to provide social security to platform-based workers.

Calling the law "historic", Gehlot said its non-implementation by the BJP-led state government had deprived workers of their rightful benefits, forcing them to struggle for their rights.

He demanded that the state government frame rules without delay and implement the Act in its true spirit.

Gehlot also said Karnataka, following Rajasthan's model, had enacted a similar law for gig workers and urged the Centre to bring nationwide legislation to protect such workers from exploitation by private companies.

He reiterated that social security for gig workers was essential to ensure dignity and fairness in the rapidly expanding platform economy. PTI AG APL APL