Social security and healthcare benefits for the growing gig sector

The Migration Bulletin is a monthly round-up that compiles migration news from across various publications. In the sixth edition, we look at the Budget 2025, the clamp down on undocumented immigrants in the US and UK and more.

Mansi Bhaktwani

In her presentation of the eighth Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that one crore gig workers will receive official identity cards and healthcare benefits, under the PM Jan Arogya Yojana, as reported by Republic Business.

The NITI Aayog defines gig workers as professionals employed outside the traditional employer-employee arrangement. This particular social security initiative called the Social Security Scheme for Welfare of Online Platform Workers, will cover gig workers who work for Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, and BigBasket like delivery partners, as well as warehouse workers.

“Gig workers of online platforms provide great dynamism to the ‘New Age’ services economy,” said Sitharaman, adding that the Ministry of Labour and Employment will arrange for their identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal.

The e-Shram portal is a one-stop shop for workers in the unorganized sector, including gig workers, daily wagers and self-employed people. Records show that as many as 30 crore people have registered themselves on the website.

According to a Times of India report, the Labour and Employment Ministry is also planning on launching a pension scheme for gig workers. Under the scheme, also aligned with the e-Shram portal, companies like Uber and Swiggy will contribute a small percentage of their annual earnings toward a pension fund for each gig worker they employ. The cabinet has yet to approve the scheme.

CRACKDOWN ON UNDOCUMENTED INDIAN IMMIGRANTS IN THE US & UK

On February 5, a US military C-17 aircraft landed in Amritsar, Punjab, carrying 104 undocumented Indian immigrants from the US, per a report published in The Indian Express. During his campaign rally, US President Donald Trump had promised to crack on undocumented immigrants.

A majority of the deportees–33 each– were from Gujarat and Haryana, 30 were from Punjab, three from Maharashtra and UP and two from Chandigarh. Among them, there were 25 women and 13 minors, between four to 17 years old.

Of the 30 deportees from Punjab, a majority belonged to Kapurthala, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala. The 33 deportees from Haryana came primarily from Kurukshetra, Karnal and Kaithal.

The Express report added that the US had identified 18,000 undocumented immigrants from India, primarily from Punjab and Gujarat.

According to a PEW research report, there are almost 7,25,000 unauthorized Indian immigrants living in the US. Indians make up the third largest group in the total number of undocumented immigrants in the US, after Mexico and El Salvador.

Indian Minister of External Affairs S Jaiskhankar previously said that India is willing to accept all Indian nationals living abroad without papers, after a thorough verification process. Since 2009, the US has deported 15,756 undocumented immigrants to India, Jaishankar informed the Rajya Sabha. He emphasized that the latest round of deportations isn’t new.

Last week, Indian PM Narendra Modi travelled to the US to meet President Trump to discuss trade, defence, tariffs and immigration. In a press briefing, he reiterated that India is willing to accept all Indian immigrants living illegally in the US. He stressed the need to eliminate human trafficking networks that people get trapped in.

The UK also cracked down on undocumented immigrants–UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said her department’s Immigration Enforcement teams raided 828 premises in January, a 48% increase from last year. 609 people were arrested, marking a 73 per cent increase from the previous year, according to a report by the Hindustan Times. Specifically, the deportation drives targeted restaurants, nail bars, convenience stores and car washes. The department said that significant action was taken against restaurants, takeaways and cafes as well as in the food, drink and tobacco industry. Seven individuals were arrested from an Indian restaurant in Humberside, northern England.

ODISHA LABOURERS IN OMAN STRUGGLE WITHOUT PAY, FAMILIES URGE GOVT ACTION

Four Indian nationals are stranded in Oman, allegedly with unpaid salaries, according to a ToI report. The labourers, originally from Odisha, have been working in Oman since November 2024 as plumbers in a construction company.

They told their parents about their lack of wages over a video call, after which their parents approached the District Labour Office (DLO) in Ganjam, Odisha. The authorities at DLO are investigating the matter.

IDENTITY CARDS MUST FOR MIGRANT WORKERS IN SIKKIM TO PREVENT CRIME, SAYS GOVT

The Sikkim government has mandated Identity cards for migrant workers amid concerns about workers with criminal backgrounds working in the state, reports North East Today. Labour Department Secretary Ragul K stressed police verification to prevent crime in the state as many skilled and unskilled labourers entered the state.

To register, migrant labourers must provide a Voter ID card, Aadhar Card, and passport photo, and pay a registration fee of Rs 200 per person. The Labour ID Card is valid for a financial year and must be renewed before its expiry. The Sikkim Labour Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service Act (2021) mandates employers to ensure every worker is registered, and non-compliance would lead to migrant worker’s detention and return to their home state.

By January 2025, a total of 18,995 migrant workers were registered in organized sectors, while 16,000 were registered in unorganized sectors. The registration process is ongoing throughout the year, and the Labour Department has launched a new website and app soon to make its way.

MIGRANT WORKERS HOLD DUAL VOTER IDS FOR BENEFITS, FACE LEGAL RISKS

According to a report published in The Hindu report, some migrant workers cast their vote twice—in their home state and the work destination–to access social schemes. Having multiple Voter IDs is illegal and can lead to imprisonment for a year, a fine or both, upon investigation. Still, many workers have multiple voter ID cards.

A migrant worker in Delhi said her earnings are insufficient to feel financially secure. “When you are struggling to make ends meet, having two voter cards to avail of government benefits is far from unfair,” she said.

SURVEY REVEALS HIGH MALNOURISHMENT AMONG MIGRANT CHILDREN IN ERNAKULAM

A survey conducted by the National Health Mission (NHM) and Amrita Institue of Medical Sciences (AIMS) on February 22, showed that over 50% of migrant children under five years in Ernakulam district of Kerala are malnourished. According to the survey, published in the Indian Journal of Community Medicine, this is because families fail to capitalize on various schemes aimed at improving nutrition.

This study utilized mixed methods, including sampling and in-depth interviews with various authorities including two district health officials, two anangwadi teachers and three migrant workers who were part of the survey team.

The Times of India report stated that children’s diets were deficient in proteins. The numbers indicate that 46% of them were stunted, 26% were wasted or severely underweight, and 12% were experiencing severe wasting. Although most were aware of the nearby anganwadis, less than 50% of eligible children could access nutritional supplements and growth monitoring facilities.

An estimated 4,500 migrant families in Kerala, of which an estimated 1,260 reside in the Ernakulam district. NHM-Ernakulam discovered 17 migrant settlements in the district where more than ten families live together in the same or different houses. NHM and district administration are contacting families to address their issues, according to Dr Akhil Manuel, a member of the NHM-Migrant survey team.

Compiled by Mansi Bhaktwani