Karnataka govt forms working group to determine quantum of welfare fee for gig workers
Bengaluru: In a significant step towards securing the rights of gig workers, the Karnataka government has constituted a multi-stakeholder working group to determine the quantum of fee to be levied towards securing the welfare of gig workers.
The working group comprises representatives from trade unions, legal experts, officials from the Department of Labour, and representatives of major e-Commerce companies, as reported by Deccan Herald on Wednesday.
The Karnataka Platform-based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Ordinance proposes levying a 1-5% charge per transaction as welfare fee for the workers. However, it does not stipulate an exact percentage of the welfare fee to be charged for the various kinds of private players operating in this domain such as Swiggy, Zomato, Ola, among others.
The working group will also frame the rules for utilisation of the welfare fund, including guidelines for social security schemes and defining eligibility criteria for gig workers to access these benefits. The development comes amid growing calls for stronger protection mechanisms for gig workers, including by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who has long advocated for such a welfare initiative. The Congress party had included this proposal in its manifesto for the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.
The state government has already published the draft rules for the ordinance, DH reported. One of the key provisions mandates aggregators to establish internal dispute resolution committees. These bodies will allow terminated gig workers to appeal against their removal within seven days, and require companies to resolve such appeals within 15 days.
In addition, the draft rules call for the creation of a welfare board, comprising gig workers, industry representatives, and government officials. The board will be empowered to set and enforce standards for occupational safety and health in the sector.
To complement the regulatory framework, the government has also formed a second, 13-member group tasked with developing the necessary IT infrastructure. This team will oversee the registration of both gig workers and aggregators, and will implement measures for grievance redressal.
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Man murdered over decade-old personal dispute, accused arrested
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): A 49-year-old man was hacked to death with a machete in this district, allegedly over a personal dispute dating back nearly a decade, police said on Tuesday.
The deceased has been identified as Basappa Hosamani, a resident of Sadoni village, they said.
The accused, Irayya Sangayya Mathapati (32), has been arrested in connection with the murder, police said.
According to the police, the incident occurred on Monday evening in Hoolikatti village of Savadatti taluk.
The crime is linked to an incident that took place about ten years ago, when Hosamani allegedly eloped with the accused's mother and went to Kolhapur in Maharashtra. At the time, accused Mathapati was 18-years-old.
Police said Hosamani had recently returned to the village for some work after leaving the woman in Kolhapur.
Investigators believe the accused, who had been nursing a long-standing grudge over the issue, attacked Hosamani with a machete, inflicting multiple fatal injuries.
After the incident, the accused allegedly informed the police himself and remained at the scene until officers arrived, they said.
A case of murder has been registered at the Savadatti police station, and further investigation is underway.
