Karnataka government offers insurance to delivery executives

The state budget presented on Friday announced the much-needed relief for the gig workers.

The delivery executives who go around the city, will be eligible for an insurance facility worth Rs four lakh, and the government will bear the entire insurance premium.

Of the Rs four lakh, Rs two lakh will be accidental insurance and the other Rs two lakh will be life insurance. While the workers welcomed the move, there were many more challenges in implementation, they said. "Sometimes, a few companies remove delivery executives stating reasons like poor customer rating.

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The government needs to provide protection and continue the scheme for such workers as well. The government needs to ensure social security for these workers," said Suman Das Mahapatra, coordinator for the Karnataka Unit of All India Gig Workers' Union.

Aiming to ensure the benefits of the subsidy offered by the Karnataka Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board reaches all the workers, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that measures will be taken to get all the unregistered construction workers to register with the board.