Karnataka govt. unveils digital grievance portal for gig workers
In a first, Karnataka govt.
unveils digital grievance
portal for gig workers
- Who are Gig workers ?
- WHY IN NEWS - Integrated Public Grievance Redressal System (IPGRS) portal
- Transparency - WHAT THEY CAN DO ? gig workers can now officially
- Internal Dispute Resolution Committee (IDRC)
- Challenges for Gig Workers
How Is India Addressing the Challenges of the Gig Economy?
Who are Gig workers ?
- Definition: The Code on Social Security, 2020, defines a gig worker as a person who works outside a traditional employer-employee relationship.
- Types: platform and non-platform-based workers.
- Platform workers are those whose work is based on online apps or digital platforms. E.g., Ola, Uber, Zomato, Swiggy, Urban Company, etc.
- Non-platform gig workers are generally casual wage workers and own account workers in the conventional sectors, working part-time or full time.
Reasons for growth:
Demographic dividend-
(65 % of Indians are in age group of 15-64 years),
Rapid urbanisation -
boost to the remote work during COVID-19,
Adoption of smartphones and internet -
(In India, 85.5 % of households possess at least one smartphone), etc.
WHY IN NEWS ?
Integrated Public Grievance Redressal System (IPGRS) portal
In a move to secure the rights of the growing platform-based labour force, the Government of Karnataka has officially operationalised a specialised grievance redressal mechanism for platform-based gig workers.
first of its kind in India
The mechanism, a first of its kind in India, has been developed by the Karnataka Platform-based Gig Workers’ Board in collaboration with the Department of e-Governance.
WHAT THEY CAN DO ? gig workers can now officially
- lodge grievances,
- including regarding pay,
- working conditions,
- platform-specific disputes,
- through the Integrated Public Grievance Redressal System (IPGRS) portal.
This creates a formal bridge
between the lakhs of gig workers in Karnataka and the technology aggregators they serve.
transparency and legal recourse
This is expected to bring transparency and legal recourse for a workforce that has so far operated without a formal dispute resolution framework.
Internal Dispute Resolution Committee (IDRC)
Under The Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act and Rules every aggregator platform must constitute an Internal Dispute Resolution Committee (IDRC).
automatically routed to IDRC
Grievances filed on the IPGRS will be automatically routed to the respective platform’s IDRC to be addressed and settled within a strictly defined timeframe.
The government will act as a
central facilitator, monitoring the process to ensure a smooth and transparent flow of communication between workers and platforms.
Significance of the gig economy
- For government
- To utilise demographic dividend: By ensuring employability, business that serves the gig economy account for 56 % of all new jobs created in India.
- Economic growth: By 2030, India's gig economy might see $250 billion in transactions or 1.25 % of GDP (NITI Aayog).
‘Every voice is heard’
Labour Minister Santosh Lad said
that Karnataka, technology capital of the country, is leveraging this potential for worker welfare as well.
“By launching this system, we are ensuring that the gig economy is no longer an informal space, but a structured one where every worker’s voice is heard,” he said.
12 lakh active gig workers
So far, details of 12 lakh active gig workers have been shared by platforms, according to G. Manjunath, Additional Labour Commissioner and CEO of the Board.
Challenges for Gig Workers
- Lack of social security:
More than 82.5 % of gig workers are informal employees (NITI Aayog).
- Health and Safety Concerns:
- High Working hours:
- Income uncertainty:
- Algorithmic Asymmetry:
- Information Access:
- Transparency:
“The schemes will vary based on the type of platforms
For example, cab rides are mostly undertaken by men whereas urban domestic activity is undertaken mostly by women.
It may also be based on the contribution made, and the quantum of gig work done by a gig worker.
Some gig workers work for more than eight hours, while some may work on a few gigs.
So, workload, nature of work, and time period of work could vary,” Mr. Manjunath explained.
We are working with
experts, including academicians from Briston University, King’s College, and IISc, and other stakeholders, including board members,” he said.
How Is India Addressing the Challenges of the Gig Economy?
- Code on Social Security, 2020: It legally defines gig and platform workers and provides them with social security benefits.
- The Code also has a provision to constitute a National Social Security Boardto look after the welfare of gig and platform workers.
- The RAISE Framework by NITI Aayog
- ensures gig and platform workers’ social security by focusing on Recognise work diversity, Augment financing, Incorporate platform and worker interests, Support awareness, and Ensure benefit access.
- e-Shram Portal:
- As of August 2025, more than 3.37 lakh platform and gig workers have registered on e-Shram Portal.
- State-Level Measures:
- Rajasthan’s Platform-Based Gig Workers Act (2023) requires employers to deposit a welfare cess.
- Karnataka proposed a Gig Workers’ Welfare Board (2024), and Telangana has drafted a bill for registration, social security, and welfare of gig workers.
Source the hindu
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