Scrap '10-Minute' Commitment: Centre To Online Delivery Platforms

Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has asked delivery aggregators to remove the mandatory 10-minute delivery deadline with concerns surrounding gig-workers' safety in the spotlight.

The move comes after Mandaviya's discussions with officials of Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy and Zomato and in the wake of protests against such time-bound promises which compromise gig-workers' safety.

Following the centre's intervention, Eternal-owned quick commerce platform Blinkit has morphed its brand messaging, removing the mention of its 10-minute promise.

According to sources, the other companies are expected to follow suit in removing delivery-time commitments from their brand messaging and social media platforms.

In the last Winter Parliament session, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha spoke about the condition of India's gig workers working under tremendous pressure and harsh weather conditions. Chadha spoke of the need for essential regulations for quick commerce platforms and business, also the need for social security benefits for gig workers. This triggered conversations surrounding working conditions and security concerns for delivery partners of platforms which have been advertising time-bound deliveries.

On December 31, delivery executives across platforms had organised a country-wide strike calling on the ban 10-minute delivery models, and seeking fair and transparent wages, regulation of the companies under the recently notified labour codes among other demands.

According to Federation of App Based Transport Workers who organized the strike protesting against pressure and working conditions of gig workers, more than 200,000 workers had joined the strike.