Labour Ministry Gets Nod to Seek Aadhaar from Gig Workers

The Ministry of Labour & Employment has been mandated to seek Aadhaar, the 12-digit unique identification number, from employees and unorganised sector workers seeking registration, benefits, availing services or receiving any payment under various schemes under the Social Security Code 2020.

Aadhaar would not be made mandatory for delivery of services under various social security schemes under the ministry, because Social Security Code 2020 has not been fully implemented so far. Rules under the Code are finalised by the ministry, but they are yet to be notified.

The main purpose of the latest mandate given to the ministry is to facilitate database creation, mainly covering people in informal sectors like migrant workers.

“Now, we will start asking for Aadhaar numbers from beneficiaries under the Social Security Code. This is also required for our database of unorganised sector workers, including migrant workers. However, delivery of services under various social security schemes would not be denied due to non-submission of Aadhaar,” Labour secretary Apurva Chandra told PTI.

A notification to this effect was issued by the ministry on May 3, mandating the ministry and bodies under it to seek Aadhaar numbers from beneficiaries under the Social Security Code, which was passed last year in Parliament.

“... the central government hereby appoints the 3rd day of May, 2021 as the date on which provisions of Section 142 of the said Social Security Code shall come into force,” the notification said.

Section 142 provides for establishing the identity of an employee, unorganised sector worker or any other person through their Aadhaar number, for seeking benefits and availing services under the Code.

The Social Security Code 2020 will subsume nine labour laws, including The Employee’s Compensation Act, 1923, The Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948, The Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, The Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959 and The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.

The other laws that will be subsumed are The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, The Cine-Workers Welfare Fund Act, 1981, The Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Cess Act, 1996 and The Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008.