Gurugram, 23 June
More than 25 percent (about 52 lakh) of Haryana’s informal workforce is working in unregulated home-based establishments, 24 percent in construction, 30 percent in agriculture and 21 percent in other sectors. Of the 3,500 startups in the state, about 2,800 are registered and operating under the formal sector, while 700 are operating from informal locations, mainly home-based establishments, employing around 10,000 people.
20% Startups Not Registered
- 3,500 startups in the state
- 2,800 registered, decline in formal sector
- 700 work from informal locations
Accept home as workplace: FICCI
- FICCI asks states to accept home as a formal and affordable workplace
- This move will contribute to the economy through higher GST and wealth tax collection
Keeping this in mind, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) along with international property consultant JLL submitted a research paper to the government, seeking regulation of the newly emerged sector of gray office market or work from home . It has recommended the state to accept home as a formal and affordable workplace. According to FICCI, the move will contribute to the formal economy of the state in the form of an increase in GST and property tax collections as well as reforms in real estate bye-laws. This will also benefit more than 700 startups and six lakh unemployed professionals in Haryana.
The gray office market primarily includes informal spaces operated from home-based setups used by small-scale startups, unorganized workers and the unemployed/remote workforce. A delegation led by Vineet Nanda, Chairman, Regional Urban Infra Committee, FICCI presented the paper titled “Home: The New Workplace” to K Makrand Pandurang, Director General and Special Secretary, Town and Country Planning. Haryana, and Vishal Bansal, Principal Accountant General, (Audit). The research paper highlighted the volume of informal office/affordable workspaces in Haryana and the intention to brainstorm ways to change the dynamics of the office industry and contribute to the state’s formal economy. Pandurang said, “The Haryana government supports the startup ecosystem. We will further study the matter with FICCI/JLL. We encourage the youth to join the formal sector and set up their units in the state.