Disruptions caused by Covid force many to turn into gig workers
This year’s Economic Survey noted India becoming one of the world’s largest flexi-staffing or “gig-work” economies thanks to the emergence of digital technology. In her recent Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed the creation of a database of gig workers to allow them access social security benefits.
Various estimates peg the number of gig workers, or freelancers who take up short-term assignments and often multiple assignments simultaneously, at close to 3 million in a workforce of around 500 million.
The disruptions caused by Covid-19 resulted in millions of job losses, forcing many to turn into gig workers almost overnight. But almost a year after the upheavals caused by the lockdown, there is limited understanding of the nature of India’s gig economy and its profound impact on the labour market. Data from some of the largest online gig work aggregators and jobtech start-ups in India point to several interesting trends that could potentially shape the future of India’s employment landscape.
Source: The Hindu BusinessLine
