What is Section 142 of Social Security Code?

The Ministry of Labour and Employment recently notified Section 142 of the Social Security Code, 2020. The Section covers applicability of the Aadhhar.

Why was Section 142 notified?

The notification will enable the Ministry of Labour and Employment to collect Aadhaar details from the beneficiaries of various social security schemes. This includes migrant workers as well.

Why are Aadhaar details collected?

The National Informatics Centre is creating a National Database for unorganised workers. The portal aims to collect data of migrant workers as well. This data will be used by various schemes of the Government. An inter-state migrant worker can register himself in the portal by submitting Aadhaar alone.

Section 142

It says that Aadhaar details are compulsory for an employee or unorganised person or any other person to get benefits of government schemes. The benefits can be in kind of cash for medical sickness, availing services of career centre, maternity benefits, receiving payment as insured person, etc.

Social Security Code

The Social Security Code was introduced in 2019. The main objectives of the code was to club the existing laws. It introduced universal social security for unorganised workers and also health and insurance benefits for gig workers.

It merged eights existing laws. This included Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, Employment Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, Employees State Insurance Act, 1948, Compensation Act, 1923.

It also established a social security fund and also tapped the corporate social responsibility fund to offer medical, disability and pension benefits to the unorganised sector workers.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2021