COMMITTEES FORMED TO DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SECURITY MODEL FOR WORKERS

PRELIMS BITS

• Constituted by: Union Ministry of Labour & Employment and state governments.
• Focus: Designing a social security model for unorganized workers, including gig and platform workers.
• Structure: Each committee includes five states.
• Proposal: Development of a dedicated social security and welfare scheme for gig and platform workers.

Need for Comprehensive Social Security

• Definition: Measures to ensure access to healthcare and income security for employees, especially in cases of old age, unemployment, sickness, and work injury.
• Need:
  • Unorganized Sector: Comprises 94% of the workforce, often lacking social security protection.
  • Changing Family Structure: Decline of the joint family system as a social safety net.
  • Other Factors: Jobless growth and automation impact.

Current Social Security Mechanisms in India

• Code on Social Security, 2020: Consolidates nine central labor laws and establishes a Social Security Fund.
• Life and Disability Coverage: Schemes like PMJJBY and PMSBY.
• Old Age Benefits: Schemes like PM-SYM and NPS for traders and self-employed persons.