CONTENTS
- A Pathway for the Most Populous Nation
- A National Law on Gig Workers
A Pathway for the Most Populous Nation
Context:
The world population is projected to reach 8.5 billion by the end of this decade. While Asia is expected to experience overpopulation, Europe is anticipated to be underpopulated. Due to decreasing fertility rates and increasing longevity, the future will likely see a larger proportion of older people. Consequently, there will be significant shifts in population distribution across regions and an uneven age structure.
Relevance:
GS1-
- Population and Associated Issues
- Human Resource
Mains Question:
The world’s most populous nation needs a robust and planned pathway to achieve its objectives of growth and development. In this context, analyse the emerging trends and issues in population studies and suggest a strategy to address them. (15 Marks, 250 Words).
Global Population Trends:
Urbanization:
Today, the population is increasingly concentrated in urban areas. By 2030, it is estimated that two-thirds of the global population will reside in urban spaces, which will strain infrastructure and amenities and potentially compromise the quality of life for urban residents.
Women’s Health and Rights:
- The theme of this World Population Day is ‘women’s sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights,’ commemorating the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). This milestone presents an opportunity to accelerate efforts to achieve the ICPD’s program of action.
- Although there has been notable progress over the past three decades—such as increased access to modern contraceptives for women and a significant reduction in maternal deaths since 2000—disparities persist across different regions.
- It is unacceptable that 800 women die daily from preventable pregnancy and childbirth-related causes, with a disproportionate number of these deaths occurring in developing countries.
- Reducing maternal mortality needs to be linked with lowering fertility rates, as lower fertility reduces the risk of maternity-related issues. However, declining fertility is also associated with delayed childbearing among women.
World Population Day and India:
- World Population Day holds particular significance for India, the most populous country in the world with a median age of 28 years.
- India could potentially help balance regions with population deficits. Lower fertility levels and increasing longevity are changing the size and composition of households.
- This will lead to an uneven distribution of children and elderly within households, impacting inequality, which is a significant concern for India.
- For example, the Kerala Migration Survey 2023 shows that 42% of households have no elderly people, 37% have one elderly person, 20% have two, and 1% have three elderly people.
- The distribution of elderly people and children is uneven across rich and poor households, resulting in a lower dependency burden (the ratio of dependent young and old to the working-age population) in wealthier households compared to poorer ones.
- Additionally, the care burden within households, shaped by the presence of children and the elderly, typically falls on women due to societal stereotypes, leaving them with less time for paid work.
Migration Trends:
- The future distribution of the population will continue to be influenced by migration. In recent decades, there has been increased mobility, often driven by poor development and infrastructure in certain regions.
- A study estimates that 600 million Indians migrate within the country annually, and 20 million migrate abroad.
- Given India’s potential for future urbanization, it is crucial to encourage the development of new cities to alleviate pressure on existing megacities.
- These new cities need to offer the same level of infrastructure and public amenities as the larger cities.
- While we often discuss smart cities, it raises the question: are Indian cities truly ‘smart‘? Cities are the engines of the global economy, with 600 urban centers currently driving 60% of the world’s GDP.
- The Global Cities Index by Oxford Economics ranked the top cities worldwide based on five categories: economics, human capital, quality of life, environment, and governance.
- This evaluation of urban quality of life is essential to understand the trends of rapid urbanization and growing migration.
- Unfortunately, no Indian city ranks in the top 50 of this index. Delhi, the highest-ranking Indian city, is 350th out of 1,000 cities globally.
- This poor performance is attributed to India’s environmental issues and low quality of life, which threaten the sustainability of its cities.
- To make India’s urban areas livable, these challenges must be addressed.
- It is also noteworthy that India, the most populous country in the world, does not have an accurate count of its population.
- Most population projections are based on outdated data. Until India conducts its census, we will only have estimates.
- Knowing the exact population count and demographic makeup is crucial for drafting effective policies.
Conclusion:
World Population Day is significant for India due to its global footprint. Despite more countries adopting stringent immigration policies, more Indians are expected to emigrate in the near future. At the same time, India needs to prepare its workforce for the global labor market. The statement that the 21st century belongs to India will only be validated if India prepares its workforce to meet evolving global needs. The world should be able to count on India as much as India counts on itself.
A National Law on Gig Workers
Context:
For India’s gig workers, whose numbers are steadily increasing yet remain precariously positioned in the unregulated labor market, the Karnataka Platform-based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2024, provides a much-needed respite, but still falls short of granting them the security associated with being employees.
Relevance:
GS3-
- Government Policies and Interventions
- Employment
- Growth and Development
- Industrial Growth
- Inclusive Growth
Mains Question:
Gig workers need a comprehensive national law on their employee status. Discuss. (10 Marks, 150 Words).
Gig Economy in India:
The gig economy continues to expand in India. According to a NITI Aayog report, India had 7.7 million gig workers at the start of the decade, and by 2029-30, they are expected to comprise 4.1% of income and 6.7% of the non-agricultural workforce.
App-based Gig Work:
- When app-based gig work first emerged a decade ago, with ride-sharing and food delivery apps, the absence of the term ’employee’ was initially seen as beneficial; it was believed to allow ‘partners’ to maintain their independence and earn substantial income without being bound by rigid contracts.
- However, this perception quickly faded as earnings plummeted and working hours extended, leaving workers vulnerable to the whims of aggregators and algorithms, without safety nets or government regulations.
Challenges Faced by Gig Workers:
Long Working Hours:
- Nearly one-third of app-based cab drivers work over 14 hours a day, with more than 83% working over 10 hours and 60% exceeding 12 hours.
- Social disparities worsen the situation, as over 60% of drivers from Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) work more than 14 hours a day.
Low Pay:
- Over 43% of gig workers earn less than Rs 500 a day or Rs 15,000 a month after expenses.
- Additionally, 34% of app-based delivery workers earn less than Rs 10,000 a month, highlighting income disparities that contribute to social inequalities.
Financial Strain:
72% of cab drivers and 76% of delivery workers struggle to manage expenses, with 68% of cab drivers spending more than they earn, potentially leading to debt.
Unsatisfactory Compensation:
- Over 80% of app-based cab drivers and over 73% of app-based delivery workers are dissatisfied with the fares offered by their companies.
- The survey claims employers deduct between 31-40% of drivers’ commissions per ride, while companies officially claim a 20% deduction.
Work Conditions:
- Demanding work hours leave drivers physically exhausted and at higher risk of road accidents, especially due to the ‘10-minute delivery at the doorstep’ policy of some e-commerce platforms.
- Many drivers and delivery workers find it difficult to take regular days off, with less than 37% of drivers being part of a union.
Issues with Platforms:
- Workers face problems such as ID deactivation and customer misbehavior, which negatively impact their work.
- A significant majority of drivers and delivery workers report adverse effects from customer behavior.
The Draft Bill:
- The draft Bill, designed as rights-based legislation, aims to prevent arbitrary dismissals, provide human grievance redress mechanisms, and increase transparency in the complex system of automated monitoring and algorithm-based payments.
- It marks an improvement over the Union government’s Code on Social Security, 2020.
- Karnataka’s law also offers social security through a welfare board and fund, with contributions from the government and the aggregator, either by deducting a portion from every transaction on the app or as a percentage of the platform’s turnover in the State.
- Recognizing that many companies running these platforms report minimal profits, workers’ unions have rightly demanded that the welfare fee be charged as a cess on each transaction.
- Skeptics point to the ineffectiveness of other unorganised sector welfare boards, but mandatory registration with such a board will make gig workers visible to the law.
- Karnataka’s government intends to enact the Bill during the monsoon session of the Assembly and must quickly establish rules and the welfare board to ensure the law is enforced by the end of the year.
Way Forward:
The report by the People’s Association in Grassroots Action and Movements suggests several regulations to safeguard gig workers from being underpaid or exploited.
- Minimum Wage: Ensuring platform workers receive a minimum wage to provide a stable income.
- ID Blocking: Practices of indefinitely blocking workers’ IDs should be prohibited.
- Income Insufficiency: Platforms must address workers’ concerns about inadequate income, possibly by reducing commission rates per transaction or covering workers’ fuel expenses, which rise with fuel prices.
- Social Security: The study advocates for stronger social security measures for app-based workers and government oversight to ensure fairness in the algorithms and mechanisms used by platforms to monitor workers.
Conclusion:
At the national level, comprehensive legislation is needed not only to set minimum wages, reasonable working hours and conditions, and robust social security but also to grant gig workers the desired status of ’employees’.
