Shashi Tharoor attacks Centre over ILO gig workers vote abstention
UPSC / SSC current affairs note
Why in news
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor criticised the Indian government for abstaining from an ILO vote on a convention setting minimum standards for gig workers, calling it a 'national disgrace'. This highlights the ongoing debate over gig worker protections in India.
Background
The International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on 'decent work in the Platform Economy' aims to establish minimum conditions for gig workers. India's government abstained from the vote, while Indian employers and workers voted in favour.
Key facts
Shashi Tharoor called the government's abstention a 'national disgrace'.
Indian employers and workers voted in favour of the ILO convention.
The convention seeks to set minimum standards for gig workers.
Tharoor urged the government to endorse and adopt the standards in domestic law.
Over 31.78 crore unorganised workers registered on the e-Shram portal as of July 14, 2026.
The e-Shram portal was launched on August 26, 2021 for a National Database of Unorganised Workers.
Fifteen central schemes have been integrated with e-Shram.
Prelims pointers
- ILO: International Labour Organization
- e-Shram portal: eshram.gov.in
- National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW)
- Universal Account Number (UAN)
- Ministry of Labour and Employment
- Platform workers, gig workers, migrant workers
Mains angles
- GS2: Role of international bodies like ILO in shaping labour standards
- GS3: Gig economy and labour reforms in India
- GS2: Government policies for unorganised workers