Why gig workers are on strike on New Year’s Eve

Government schemes underway?

As per a NITI Aayog published in June 2022, the number of gig workers and platform workers stood at 77 lakhs in 2020-21. This workforce is expected to rise to 2.35 crores by 2029-30.

Referring to the same report, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, on December 18, “For the first time, the definition of ‘gig workers’ and ‘platform workers’ and provisions related to the same have been provided in the Code on Social Security, 2020 which has come into force on 21 November, 2025.”

She added that the Code provides for “framing of suitable welfare schemes for gig workers and platform workers on matters relating to life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old age protection, etc.”

The Code also provides for the establishment of a Social Security Fund to finance these welfare schemes.

Meanwhile, to maintain a database of unorganised workers, the ministry launched the e-Shram portal on August 26, 2021.

Referring to the same, Karandlaje in the upper house, “The e-Shram portal is meant to register and support the unorganised workers by providing them a Universal Account Number (UAN) on a self-declaration basis. The Ministry of Labour and Employment has also launched the e-Shram- ‘One-StopSolution’ that entails integration of different social security/welfare schemes at a single portal.”

While the Union Budget 2025-26 also announced a provision for healthcare coverage under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), a states that the AB-PMJAY scheme for platform workers has yet to be launched.

Speaking on the e-Shram portal, GIPSWU National Coordinator Agni said, “The e-Shram portal came about because of COVID-19. Migrant workers were hit the hardest, and suddenly, we realised no one knew how many migrant workers even existed. When the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance, I filed an intervention application raising several issues. It turned out that no state had accurate data on migrant workers. That’s when the government launched e-Shram – so workers could access central schemes.”

“But have gig workers or platform workers received any benefits from registering on e-Shram yet? I would say no,” Agni added.

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