Union Minister Nitin Gadkari recently emphasized the significant impact of India’s food delivery sector in generating employment opportunities. Speaking at Zomato’s ‘Sustainability and Inclusivity: Role of the Platform Economy’ conference, Gadkari noted that India currently has 77 lakh delivery workers, with numbers expected to rise to 2.5 crore by 2030. He described this as a major achievement for the country, reinforcing that job creation remains a top priority.
Gadkari also praised Zomato for its role in providing employment to the youth and helping address the nation’s unemployment challenges. However, he raised concerns over road safety issues faced by delivery workers. The pressure to meet time-bound delivery targets increases the risk of accidents, as India witnesses 45 road accidents and 20 deaths every hour. He pointed out that two-wheeler accidents account for 80,000 deaths annually, with a significant number caused by the lack of helmets.
To tackle these issues, Gadkari emphasized the need for better road safety training. He commended Zomato for training 50,000 delivery drivers, describing it as a vital step towards enhancing road safety. “Such initiatives can play a key role in saving lives and making roads safer for all,” Gadkari added.