The lockdown gave a boost to the gig economy, while it had an “inevitable impact on the vulnerable and informal sector,” the Economic Survey for 2020-21 noted.
“During the period of COVID-19 induced lockdown, the increasing role of the gig economy was evident with significant growth of online retail business,” it stated.
Gig or platform workers had lacked basic rights and social security till the recent Code on Social Security was introduced. “COVID-19 has exposed the vulnerability of urban casual workers, who account for 11.2% of urban workforce (All-India) as per PLFS, January-March, 2020, a significant proportion of them are supposed to be migrants who were impacted by the lockdown,” the survey noted.
“In order to incentivise more women to join the labour force, investment in institutional support to affordable and quality child care facilities, paid paternal leave, family-friendly work environment, and support for elderly care needs to be made” besides promoting non-discriminatory norms.
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