Why in news?

The Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified the constitution of two key bodies: the National Social Security Board (NSSB) for unorganised workers (40 members) and a separate NSSB for gig and platform workers (22 members).

Both boards are tasked with designing, monitoring, and recommending welfare schemes to bridge India’s long-standing social security gap for workers outside the formal employment structure.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Background: The Code on Social Security
• Composition of the Boards
• Functions and Powers of the Boards
• The Social Security Fund: Who Pays, and for What?
• Expanded EPFO Coverage: A Major Structural Shift
• What Changes for Gig Workers Specifically?

Background: The Code on Social Security

• Notified last year (November 2025), alongside three other labour codes, the Code on Social Security merged nine existing social security laws to cover both organised and unorganised sectors.
• For the first time, the Code legally defined “gig workers” and “platform workers.”
• It mandated a national registration system and a dedicated social security fund for unorganised and gig workers.

Composition of the Boards

• National Social Security Board (Unorganised Workers) — 40 members:
  • Chairperson: Union Minister for Labour and Employment
  • Vice-Chairperson: Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment
  • Includes employee and employer representatives.
  • Nominated Members:
    • Unorganised sector workers: 7 representatives representing workers in the unorganised sector
    • Employers of unorganised sector: 7 representatives representing employers
    • Eminent persons from civil society: 7 representatives
    • Parliamentary representatives: 2 members representing the Lok Sabha and 1 member representing the Rajya Sabha (3 total)
    • Central Government Ministries and Departments: 10 members representing concerned central ministries and departments
    • State Governments: 5 members representing State Governments
    • Union Territories: 1 member representing the Union territories [1, 2]
• National Social Security Board (Gig and Platform Workers) — 22 members:
  • Union Labour Minister chairs it; Labour Secretary serves as Vice-Chairperson (same structure as the unorganised workers’ board).
  • Industry representation: Aggregators and quick-commerce operators like Eternal (Zomato’s parent), Zepto, Swiggy, and Urban Company.
  • Worker representation: BMS, the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), and the National Front of Indian Trade Unions (NFITU).

Functions and Powers of the Boards

• As per the Code, the NSSB must meet at least thrice a year.
• Core mandate: Recommend that the Central government frame suitable schemes for different categories of unorganised, gig, and platform workers.
• Key Responsibilities
  • Monitor social welfare schemes for unorganised workers.
  • Review expenditure from the social security fund and its accounts.
  • Review record-keeping functions related to gig workers’ welfare schemes performed at the state level.
  • Advise the Central government on matters arising from administering the Code.
  • Undertake other functions as assigned by the Central government from time to time.

The Social Security Fund: Who Pays, and for What?

• The Code envisions a Social Security Fund for gig and platform workers, funded through:
  • Central and State government contributions.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.
  • Fines collected through compounding.
• Aggregator Contributions: Companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, and Zomato must contribute 1-2% of their annual turnover to the fund — with total contribution capped at 5% of the amount payable to workers.
• Covered benefits the Centre may frame schemes for include:
  • Life and disability cover.
  • Accident insurance.
  • Health and maternity benefits.
  • Old age protection.
  • Crèche facilities.

Expanded EPFO Coverage: A Major Structural Shift

• EPFO (Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation) provisions now apply to all establishments with 20+ employees, regardless of industry type.
• Previously, EPFO applied only to establishments listed in Schedule 1 of the Act — primarily manufacturing sector entities.
• This restriction has been removed under the Code on Social Security, bringing both organised and unorganised sector workers under the social security umbrella.
• Schemes will be funded wholly or partly by Central/State governments or CSR contributions.

What Changes for Gig Workers Specifically?

• Gig and platform workers will receive social security cover for the first time in India’s labour history.
• Mandatory Registration: Platforms must work with the government to register all gig and platform workers.
• Technology Enabler: Registration will use an Aadhaar-linked Universal Account Number (UAN) — ensuring benefits remain portable across states, crucial given gig workers’ frequent inter-state mobility for work.
• Scale of Impact: As per NITI Aayog, India’s gig economy is projected to employ 2.35 crore (23.5 million) workers by 2029-30 — making this reform potentially transformative for a rapidly growing workforce segment.

Conclusion

The notification of these two Social Security Boards operationalises one of the most significant labour reforms in recent Indian history — extending formal social security protections to a workforce segment that has historically operated entirely outside such safeguards.

By mandating aggregator contributions, enabling portable Aadhaar-linked registration, and expanding EPFO coverage beyond manufacturing-sector limits, the Code addresses a genuine structural gap as India’s gig economy approaches a projected 2.35 crore workers by 2029-30.

However, the real test will lie in implementation — particularly ensuring that board composition remains genuinely representative of worker interests, and that the promised benefits translate into accessible, timely support for a workforce often characterised by precarious, fragmented employment.

Why in news?

A helicopter carrying six people, including the pilot, crashed while returning from Badrinath to Dehradun recently, amid adverse weather conditions — all six confirmed dead.

This latest tragedy has once again spotlighted the safety risks associated with helicopter operations in one of India’s most challenging flying environments, raising urgent questions about India’s helicopter-based pilgrimage tourism.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• The Scale of the Problem
• Why Uttarakhand’s Terrain Makes Flying So Dangerous?
• Regulatory and Air Traffic Management Gaps
• Do Commercial Pressures Compromise Safety?

The Scale of the Problem

• As per Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) data (shared with Parliament, July 2025): of 12 helicopter accidents nationwide since 2020, 7 occurred in Uttarakhand alone.
• Fatality statistics are starker: Of 30 total deaths in helicopter crashes during this period, 21 occurred in Uttarakhand.
• Last summer saw at least 5 incidents within just a couple of months, including multiple fatal crashes — prompting the state administration, UCADA, MoCA, and DGCA to announce safety audits and temporary operational pauses.

Why Uttarakhand’s Terrain Makes Flying So Dangerous

• Much of the Char Dham route passes through deep valleys surrounded by steep mountains, leaving little room to manoeuvre — especially when weather deteriorates suddenly or technical problems arise.
• Mountainous terrain disrupts wind patterns, causing sudden turbulence that’s hard to predict.
• Areas are prone to rapid visibility changes from cloud movement, mist, and unpredictable rain.
• Helicopters here primarily operate under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) — pilots must fly visually, maintaining visibility and separation from terrain without instrument-based guidance.
• Key Risk: Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) — when a pilot-controlled aircraft unintentionally strikes terrain. This was the probable cause in the June 2025 Gaurikund crash, where the helicopter reportedly flew despite poor visibility and extensive clouding.
• Localised Weather Data Gap: Weather readings at a base like Guptkashi may not reflect actual conditions at Kedarnath or in connecting valleys — a district-level forecast cannot tell a pilot if a specific valley entrance is safe to enter at a given moment.

Regulatory and Air Traffic Management Gaps

• In narrow mountain valleys with multiple helicopters operating simultaneously, proper air traffic control is critical — but many Uttarakhand helipads lack this infrastructure.
• Pilots often rely on radio communications and relayed information rather than formal air traffic control.
• Jurisdictional Divide:
  • DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) regulates airspace nationally (aviation is a Union List subject).
  • Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), established 2013, coordinates with helicopter operators at the state level.
• Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture (August 2025 report) flagged this starkly:
  • DGCA’s role is primarily licensing, issuing safety guidelines to UCADA but not exercising direct, continuous supervision over daily operations.
  • This creates jurisdictional ambiguity, with DGCA appearing to have ceded direct oversight of a hazardous aviation activity to a state-level body whose capacity and expertise have been questioned.
  • The Committee called this a symptom of a “larger and more dangerous structural flaw” — a “fractured and ambiguous regulatory command structure” in India’s aviation governance.

Do Commercial Pressures Compromise Safety?

• Helicopter services have grown alongside religious tourism, offering pilgrims faster, easier access to remote Himalayan shrines.
• This creates concentrated flight activity during the short pilgrimage season (just a few months annually).
• High Traffic Volumes Demand: effective coordination, reliable communications, clear departure/arrival procedures, and accurate weather data — gaps in any of these leave pilots managing complexity with inadequate information.
• During peak demand, helicopters run repeated shuttle trips, and the economics of short-duration operations can incentivise maximising daily trip counts.
• Expert Concerns: Commercial pressure may encourage flights in poor weather, inadequate technical checks, and continued operations despite warnings.
• Pilot fatigue is a significant but under-monitored risk — repeated flights in demanding terrain require constant reassessment of conditions, terrain, aircraft performance, and air traffic.
• A DGCA operations circular governs safety for pilgrimage helicopter flights, placing responsibility on operators — but recurring accidents raise doubts about enforcement effectiveness.

Conclusion

Uttarakhand’s helicopter tragedies don’t stem from one single failure. They result from many weaknesses coming together. The terrain is treacherous. The weather is unpredictable. Local weather forecasting remains inadequate. Air traffic management is fragmented. On top of this, the national regulator’s oversight role stays mostly advisory, not operational.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee’s findings point to something deeper. This isn’t just an isolated aviation safety issue. It reflects a broader governance gap. This gap exists between central regulators and state-level implementation bodies.

Two things need to change. First, DGCA and UCADA’s roles need clearer separation. Genuine, continuous safety supervision must replace periodic licensing checks. Second, commercial pressures during the pilgrimage season need better balance against safety protocols. Until both happen, the Himalayan skies above Char Dham will likely remain among India’s most dangerous flying corridors.

About Sinhagad Fort:

• Sinhagad, earlier known as ‘Kondhana’, is a fortress located near Pune, Maharashtra.
• It was built in a strategic location and was surrounded by several other forts like Torna Fort, Purandar Fort, and Rajgad Fort.
• History:
  • It was originally known as Kondhana and was named after the sage Kaundinya.
  • It has changed hands multiple times, with rulers from different dynasties leaving their mark.
  • Mohammed bin Tughalaq captured the fort from the Koli tribal chieftain, Nag Naik, in 1340 CE.
  • In 1496 CE, Malik Ahmad, the founder of the Nizam Shahi dynasty, took control of the fort.
  • Nearly 200 years later, the Maratha leader Shahaji Bhonsale captured the fort.
  • In 1647 CE, Shivaji held the stronghold.
  • In 1665 CE, as per the Treaty of Purandar, Shivaji handed over Sinhagad to the Mughals.
  • The fort’s famous chapter unfolded in 1670 when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj orchestrated a daring mission to reclaim the fort from the Mughals.
  • The Battle of Sinhagad was led by the fearless Tanaji Malusare ( Shivaji’s favorite general), who, along with his brave warriors, scaled the steep cliffs under the cover of darkness.
  • Despite putting up a fierce fight, Tanaji succumbed to his injuries.
  • When Shivaji Maharaj heard of Tanaji’s sacrifice, he famously remarked, “Gad ala, pan Sinha gela” (The fort is won, but the lion is lost).
  • In honor of his valiant warrior, Shivaji Maharaj honoured the fort with the name Sinhagad Fort, or Lion’s Fort.
  • The fort remained under the control of the Marathas until 1818 CE, when it was surrendered to the British after the Third Anglo-Maratha War.
  • The fort was later used as a retreat for many European residents of Pune.
• Architecture:
  • It is a marvel of Maratha architecture and engineering.
  • It comprises a strong fortified wall which runs for almost 2 miles.
  • The fort features two main entrances—the Pune Darwaza, facing Pune, and the Kalyan Darwaza, opening towards the Konkan region—both showcasing intricate stonework and strategic placement for enhanced security.
  • It has an advanced water storage system, which includes ancient rainwater harvesting techniques and natural reservoirs that ensure a continuous water supply.
  • The fort has several bastions, ramparts, walls, and gates that enclose its premises.
  • The fort also houses a temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, a brewery, some military sheds, and the tombs of Rajaram Chhatrapati (Shivaji’s youngest son) and Tanaji Malusare.

About Dopamine:

• Dopamine is a hormone and a type of neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, made in your brain.
• It is a nitrogen-containing organic compound.
• The nervous system uses it to send messages between nerve cells. These messages also travel between the brain and the rest of the body. 
• It is often referred to as the “feel-good” chemical in the brain.
• High or low dopamine levels are associated with diseases including Parkinson’s disease, restless legs syndrome, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• Dopamine is found in humans as well as animals, including both vertebrates and invertebrates.

About National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR):

• It is an autonomous institution under the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology.
• Location: New Delhi
• Mandate: To undertake, promote, and coordinate research; train workers; and serve as an information resource in identified aspects of plant genomics to build a frontline institution.
• Objectives:
  • To conduct high-quality research in frontier areas of plant genomics and molecular biology, with the aim of having practical application in crop improvement;
  • To utilize molecular biology and omics approaches along with tissue culture and genetic engineering technology to identify important genes/proteins/metabolites and manipulate these for generating plants with improved agronomic characters, biotic/abiotic stress tolerance, and enhanced nutritional value
  • To take up any fundamental work related to gene regulation, systems biology, and mapping that would aid in achieving the above mandate
  • Development of molecular markers for monitoring important traits
  • Production and testing of transgenic and gene-edited plants
  • Identification of genes that are vital for the survival of the pathogens, and targeting them for pathogen resistance
  • Knowledge generation and innovation, including publications and patents
  • Knowledge dissemination for human resource development at all levels (Ph.D., post-doctoral researchers, postgraduate trainees and young scientists) through advanced training workshops, symposia, seminars, and scientists exchange programmes
  • To impart advance training module in plant genetic engineering and genome analysis
  • To undertake collaborative programmes with international institutes those are engaged in plant genome research and develop close linkages.

Key Facts about Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC):

• It is an Apex Autonomous Body established as a registered Society.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Science and Technology.
• It was formed by subsuming 14 Autonomous Institutes of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
• BRIC aims to provide a centralized and unified governance mechanism for the administration of its research institutions through intra-mural core grants.
• It emphasizes multi-disciplinary research support from basic discovery to application in areas of strength within the DBT institutions.
• BRIC seeks to nurture the next generation of scientific leaders by enabling the pursuit of knowledge and innovation in globally competitive and nationally relevant ecosystems.
• Objectives:
• Promoting cutting-edge research in biotechnology aligned with national priorities.
• Fostering innovation and translation across institutional boundaries.
• Developing indigenous technologies and capabilities in line with the principles of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

About Mekedatu Project:

• It is a multi-purpose (drinking water and power) project involving the construction of a balancing reservoir near Kanakapura in the Ramanagara district, Karnataka.
• The project is proposed at the confluence of the Cauvery River with its tributary Arkavathi.
• The project envisages using water annually for drinking-water supply to Bengaluru and surrounding areas and generating hydropower.
• Issue:
  • The dispute over the project is rooted in the broader Cauvery water-sharing conflict between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
  • Tamil Nadu, the lower riparian state, has been opposing the project, raising apprehensions that the state would be affected if the project takes shape.
  • Tamil Nadu says, Mekedatu area represents the last free point in Karnataka from where Cauvery water flows unrestricted into Tamil Nadu, and the Mekedatu dam project is an attempt by Karnataka to block this free flow of water.

About INS Kesari:

• INS Kesari (L15) is a Shardul Class Landing Ship Tank (LST) of the Indian Navy.
• The ship was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
• It was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 2008.
• It is the second ship of the Shardul class after INS Shardul, with INS Airavat completing the three-ship class.
• The ship is designed for amphibious operations, including the transportation of troops and equipment.
  • It can carry tanks, armoured vehicles, stores, and around 500 personnel and can put them ashore directly on a beach.
• Their large cargo decks also make them a regular choice for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.

About Somalia:

• It is located in the Horn of Africa.
• The Equator passes through southern Somalia.
• Bordering Countries: It is bordered by Djibouti (Northwest), Ethiopia (West), and Kenya (Southwest). 
• Maritime Borders: The Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean
• Capital city: Mogadishu
• Geographical Features of Somalia:
  • Climate: It has an arid or semiarid climate, and there is little seasonal change in temperature.
  • Topography: The Somali peninsula consists mainly of a tableland of young limestone and sandstone formations.
    • In the extreme north, along the Gulf of Aden is a narrow coastal plain called the Guban.
  • Rivers: It is drained by the Jubba and the Shabeelle rivers.
  • Highest Peak: Highest point in Somalia is Mount Shimbiris (the 2,460 m tall).
  • Natural Resources:  It mainly consists of iron ore, uranium, copper, tin, bauxite, gypsum, salt.

Key Facts about United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM)

• It was established by the UN Security Council in 2013.
• Purpose: To support Somali authorities in the transition to democracy and the rule of law after more than two decades of conflict involving militias, Islamist groups and criminal gangs.
• Its mandate ended on 31 October 2024, subsumed to the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS).

About Pench Tiger Reserve:

• It is located in the southern reaches of the Satpura hills in Madhya Pradesh and shares the southern boundary with Maharashtra.
• In 1983, it was declared a National Park, and in 1992, a tiger reserve.
• It derives its name from its life line-the River Pench which flows from North to South.
• It comprises the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park, the Pench Mowgli Sanctuary.
• Vegetation: The forests in Pench tiger reserve are classified into three types:
  • South Indian Tropical Moist Deciduous (slightly moist)
  • Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Teak Forests and
  • Southern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forest
• Flora: The reserve boasts a diverse range of flora, including teak, saag, mahua, and various grasses and shrubs.
• Fauna: The area is especially famous for large herds of Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, Gaur (Indian Bison), and wild boar.

About BioSentinel Mission:

• It is a six-unit (6U) CubeSat launched in 2022.
• It was developed by the NASA Ames Research Center, California, USA.
• It is the first biological CubeSat developed to travel beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
• It was selected as one of the secondary payloads – and the sole biological experiment – to have the rare opportunity to catch a ride to deep space on Artemis I.
• Objectives:
  • To develop the capability to support biological organisms in deep interplanetary space
  • To characterize the deep space radiation environment and its effects on biological organisms
• Components:
  • It is composed of two sections, one containing the scientific payloads, and a spacecraft bus equipped with solar panel arrays, batteries, micropropulsion system, star tracker navigation system, transponder, antennas, and command and data handling systems.
  • The two payloads are the microfluidic-based BioSensor instrument and a radiation detector.
  • The BioSensor instrument carried the budding yeast S. cerevisiae to assay biological responses to accumulated doses of deep space radiation.