Industry sources say close to 55,000 jobs are on offer on a gig basis due to the expectation of demand surge from the upcoming festive season. So far, while 10 million blue-collared workers are said to have lost jobs, hiring firms estimate that 30-35 percent have moved to gig roles.
Mumbai-based air-conditioner service person Wasim Ansari used to earn close to Rs 14,000 per month during the peak summer season in March-June.
But amidst the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Ansari was laid off in April by the platform he was employed with. Three months later, he found a job as a food-delivery person.
“Initially, I had gone back to my native place in Uttar Pradesh. But it was not possible to survive without a proper income since my family is into farming. Hence, I came back to Mumbai in June. My food-delivery job is very hectic but the pay is good,” he said.
With sectors like beauty, home cleaning/repair and travel/tourism still reeling under the impact of lockdown, workers there are now shifting to sectors like e-commerce and food delivery to look for gig roles. Gigs are short-term job roles that are offered based on seasonal demand.
Source: Moneycontrol
