Govt asks platform aggregators to register workers on e-Shram portal for social security benefits

The government has invited platform aggregators to register their gigs and platform workers on the e-Shram portal to receive social security benefits. “Ministry of Labour & Employment has taken another major step in extending social security benefits to gig and platform workers by inviting platform aggregators to register their workers on the e-Shram portal,” the Ministry said in a statement released on Tuesday.

The e-Shram portal is a database of unorganized workers across the country. It aims to provide social security and welfare benefits to unorganized workers.

This registration will be important for workers to access social welfare schemes. Additionally, it will help aggregators to maintain a registry of beneficiaries.

The Ministry has asked the aggregators to update workers’ details, such as payments and work engagements, regularly after implementing these guidelines. Aggregators must also quickly report workers' exits to maintain the correct records.

The Ministry has provided a toll-free helpline number (14434) to help workers and aggregators provide information, guide registration, and resolve any technical issues encountered during the process.

Further, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has provided an advisory stating the standard operating procedure, highlighting the responsibilities of aggregators, such as registering workers' details and updating them regularly.

Following the registration, the platform workers will be given a Universal Account Number (UAN). This number will give access to various social security benefits.

The statement said that the government has worked with a few aggregators and has successfully finished application programming interface (API) integration and has advanced the registration process. This collaboration between the government and aggregators aims to cover all the gig workers nationwide.

Ministry of Labour and Employment to meet aggregators

The Ministry of Labour and Employment has scheduled a meeting with the aggregators on Wednesday, September 18. The Union Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, will head the meeting and provide further details on the new guidelines.