Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], November 15 (ANI): BRS General Secretary T Jeevan Reddy on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over the launch of the Telangana Gig Workers Scheme, asserting that he fails to fathom how the benefits announced for gig workers differ from standard benefit policies announced in the state.

Speaking to ANI, Reddy demanded an unemployment allowance of Rs 4,000 for gig workers, asserting that they are all educated, unemployed youths holding degrees who have been forced into gig work due to the unavailability of government jobs. 

'Rahul Gandhi ji came and went....we have no idea what new he said about gig workers. What he said is that this government is going to give a 5 lakh accidental benefit... the government has already announced on November 19 that they are going to implement this insurance scheme for all the families and elders of ration card holders who are below the poverty line. And the health insurance that everyone already has got this under the Rajiv Arogya scheme up to 10 lakh-what's new thing in it? If you really wanted to help gig workers, you would have announced an unemployment benefit of 4000. Now, who are gig workers here? All of them are unemployed youth. All of them are unemployed youth who have did a Graduation, post-graduation, technical degrees, everything. Since they aren't getting government jobs, they are forced to work as gig workers,' said Reddy. 

Reddy's remarks came after Rahul Gandhi launched the Telangana Gig Workers' Social Security and Welfare Scheme. 

In a post on X, he said he had held a detailed meeting with Telangana's gig workers in 2023, during which they shared their hardships, needs and demands. He said the assurance given to them at the time was that their demands would be addressed and they would receive protection.

'I had a long meeting with Telangana's gig workers in 2023. We talked in detail. They shared their hardships, needs and demands. The promise was: your demands will be met, and you will definitely have protection,' he said.

Listing the benefits under the Telangana Gig Workers' Social Security and Welfare Scheme, he said workers would receive Rs 5 lakh accident insurance and Rs 10 lakh health insurance, while one per cent of their earnings would be contributed towards pension.

He added that the scheme also provided workers' rights over their data and earnings, along with Wi-Fi-enabled rest centres at various locations.

'Today, we fulfilled that promise: Rs 5 lakh accident insurance, Rs 10 lakh health insurance,1% of earnings for pension, rights over their data and earnings, Rest centres with WiFi at various locations,' he wrote.

Describing the initiative as more than a welfare scheme, he said it represented a philosophy under which every hard-working person should receive their rights, dignity and security for the future.

'All of these are now legal rights for Telangana's gig workers. This is not just a scheme, but a philosophy-every hardworking person must receive their rights, dignity and security for the future,' he added. (ANI)