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Aggregators Urged to Register Platform & Workers on E-Shram Portal
The Ministry of Labour and Employment, through a notification on 16th September 2024, has requested aggregators, that is, digital intermediaries or marketplaces, for a buyer or user of a service to connect with the seller or service provider, as defined in Annexure-I of the notification, to register themselves and their online platform workers to the e-Shram portal. The notification seems to effectuate Section 113 of the Code on Social Security, 2020.
E-Shram is a comprehensive National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW) launched by the Government of India under the Ministry of Labour & Employment on August 26, 2021, with an aim to register and support unorganized/migrant workers of the country and to help them in skilling, finding jobs and checking their eligibility for different social sector schemes of the State and the Central Government, by providing them with a Universal Account Number (UAN).
The notification, along with the annexures, urges aggregators to come forward and complete the API testing and onboard themselves on the portal in a time bound manner. The general terms are outlined, and steps for registration in the form of an SOP are provided along with proforma to be shared during onboarding with information pertaining to the platform and platform workers. A toll-free helpline and email address have also been shared for regular support.
According to the NITI Aayog, the number of platform workers in India is expected to increase from 7.7 million in 2020-21 to 23.5 million by 2029-30. This advisory could potentially pave the way for more comprehensive laws that protect platform workers in terms of wages, working conditions, and job security. However, the integration of welfare schemes with eShram cards has seen some hiccups with registered users complaining of lack of clarity or usability of the portal.
