There is a truth hidden behind the delivery facility available in 10 minutes, which raises big questions on the employment system of the country. The government is now accepting that the person working through the app is also a laborer and he cannot be completely kept out of the system. The government has issued a draft of new rules related to laborers and employees, in which gig workers have also been included for the first time.
What is there for gig workers in the government’s new draft?
The Labor Ministry has released the draft of new rules under four labor codes which are proposed to be implemented from April 1, 2026. The purpose of these rules is to bring under the ambit of social security those millions of people who work through apps and till now were not part of any fixed security system.
According to the new draft rules, a gig or platform worker will have to work for a fixed period of time in a financial year to be eligible for social security. If a worker works on the same aggregator or app, he will have to work for at least 90 days. Whereas if he works on more than one app, then this limit has been kept at 120 days. The special thing is that if a worker has earned even just Rs 1 on any day, then that day will also be considered as a working day.
The government says that gig workers who fulfill these conditions will be given a digital identity card. On the basis of this identity, they will get the benefits of social security schemes notified by the government. These may include facilities like accident insurance, health related plans and pension in future.
Who are gig workers?
You order on your mobile phone and it says, ‘Delivery in a few minutes’. This facility has become common today, but now a serious debate has started in the country on the condition of the lives of the people because of whom this facility is possible.
Gig workers i.e. delivery boys, cab drivers and freelancers who work through the app. Today they are becoming India’s largest but most insecure working population. Gig work means work in which there is neither a fixed boss nor a fixed job nor a fixed salary. If you get work, if you don’t get earning then the day is empty. This is the reason why the question regarding gig work is now gaining momentum whether it can really be called employment or is it just work done out of compulsion.
‘Many Indians are living on this secondary income’
Statistics show that most gig workers are able to work only a few days throughout the year. The platforms themselves call it a secondary income i.e. a means of additional earning, and not a full-time job. But a large number of people in India are running their household on this secondary income. This contradiction is the biggest problem of this entire system.
If we look at the earnings figures, the picture becomes clearer. On an average, the income from gig work in a year is only around ₹ 30 to ₹ 40 thousand in many cases. This amount cannot be considered sufficient for urban life. This is the reason why gig work is no longer considered a permanent employment but a means of temporary livelihood.
What are the complaints of gig workers?
A major complaint of gig workers is that they remain online on the app for hours but do not get any money for that wait. Payment is made only when the order is received and delivery is completed i.e. the risk is entirely on the worker while the system remains secure. Besides this, the pressure of fast delivery also affects road safety and health of workers.
Another big truth is that the number of people working in the gig economy is very high. The supply is so high that if someone refuses to work at a lower rate, someone else is immediately available. Because of this, workers are left with no bargaining power and pressure cannot be exerted on the platforms for better payment.
Looking at these circumstances, now the Central Government also seems to be becoming active. The government has released the draft of new rules related to laborers and employees. In which gig workers have also been included for the first time.
