Modi Government Collects Gig Workers’ Biometrics for Welfare Program

In a bid to support this rapidly growing sector and prepare for upcoming elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration is working on a comprehensive plan to provide social welfare benefits for gig workers employed by companies like Amazon, Uber, and Zomato. The initiative, aligned with the Social Security Code implemented in 2020, aims to offer accident, health insurance, and retirement benefits to gig workers, addressing their rising vulnerability due to the evolving nature of employment.

As India’s gig economy flourishes, the need for state protection for gig workers has become increasingly pressing. These workers, often outside traditional employer-employee relationships, play a substantial role in the nation’s economy, especially in the wake of COVID-19 restrictions. Recognizing this, the Indian government is working with trade unions, gig platforms, and state officials to devise relief measures for these workers, focusing on their security and well-being. This initiative not only reflects the changing dynamics of employment but also addresses rising concerns of exploitation, long working hours, and inadequate protection.

To enroll gig workers in this welfare program, the Indian government has introduced an online portal. Remarkably, over 290 million individuals have already registered and submitted biometric data as part of the enrollment process, marking a significant level of interest and engagement. However, there’s a twist in Rajasthan, where the opposition Congress party has already implemented a similar system. Strikingly, the Rajasthan system doesn’t seem to leverage the country’s well-established Aadhaar biometric identity database for verifying welfare recipients.

Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identification number issued by the Government of India. It’s used for various services and benefits. Biometrics, including fingerprints and iris scans, are collected during enrollment to create a unique identity. This biometric data is stored in a database and linked to the individual’s Aadhaar number. Biometric authentication is used for identity verification in services like banking, government programs, and transactions. While Aadhaar streamlines services, it has also raised privacy concerns due to the use of biometric data.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), in collaboration with country’s electronics and IT ministry, recently announced the development of a liveness detection system for fingerprint scanning used in the Aadhaar program.

Sources: Reuters, Mint

–

August 15, 2023 – by the FindBiometrics Editorial Team