Opinion | The Gig Worker Debate: Hard Facts | Opinion News

At the heart of the gig workers’ debate is the tension between rapid economic innovation and human welfare. (PTI file for representation)

Balancing growth, welfare, and advocacy, the gig economy in India has exploded in recent years, transforming how millions earn a living. From food delivery riders zipping through urban traffic to cab drivers navigating congested streets, gig workers form the backbone of platforms like Zomato, Swiggy, Uber, and Ola.

According to estimates, India has over 8 million gig workers, a number projected to reach 23.5 million by 2030. This sector contributes significantly to employment, especially for young, semi-skilled individuals in a country where population growth often outpaces job growth in some geographies.

At the heart of the gig workers’ debate is the tension between rapid economic innovation and human welfare. Modinomics has always had a fine balance between growth and welfarism. In sync with that philosophy, the Modi government introduced several measures to address these concerns, marking a shift toward formalising protection for this informal workforce.

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP’s) Raghav Chadha, under the garb of amplifying gig workers’ voices, has only garnered eyeballs for himself on social media platforms like X. He has been instigating unrest and his advocacy is not rooted in real concern, but partisan rhetoric.

For instance, in AAP-ruled Punjab, for unskilled workers, the average minimum monthly wage is just Rs 11,389, while under the BJP government in Delhi it stands at Rs 18,456, almost 62% higher. Similarly, for semi-skilled workers, the average number is Rs 12,170 in Punjab but stands at a solid 67% higher at Rs 20,371 for workers in Delhi. They say charity begins at home and by virtue of that logic, why has Chadha not done anything for the gig workers in Punjab? It is because outraging is fashionable, while working committedly for a cause is tough. Clearly, he does not have the stomach for hard work, as that requires a lot more than simply grazing for applause on social media, with a few click-bait posts.

Before delving further, some questions beget answers. Who passed the Social Security Code (SSC) in 2020, giving PF, pension, ESI, gratuity, disability insurance & maternity benefits to gig workers? Who implemented SSC along with Labour Codes, with effect from 21st November 2025? Who created the e-SHRAM portal to benefit gig workers, who switch jobs frequently? Who created grievance redressal helplines for gig workers? Who brought gig workers under the Payment of Wages Act & The Minimum Wages Act, thereby giving them statutory rights? Who ensured equal pay for equal work by all genders, including transgenders? Who enforced overtime at a minimum of twice the normal wage rate, for work done beyond standard hours? Well, the emphatic answer to all these questions is—The Modi government. Indeed, it is under the aegis of PM Modi that gig workers have been empowered like never before.

The gig economy is a product of digital disruption, fuelled by smartphone penetration and urbanisation. Platforms aggregate demand for services, offering flexibility to workers who can choose their hours and gigs. This model has empowered many– a 2022 NITI Aayog report highlighted how it provides entry-level opportunities for those without formal qualifications, contributing to poverty reduction and women’s workforce participation. Yet, challenges prevailed. gig workers often faced erratic incomes, lack of insurance, long hours, and algorithmic opacity, where pay structures changed without notice. That workers are often classified as “partners” rather than employees, by employers, evading traditional labour laws, has been the grouse. In this context, the Modi government’s landmark Labour Codes represent a proactive response, aiming to integrate gig workers into broader social security frameworks, without stifling innovation.

Since 2014, the Modi administration has prioritised labour reforms to modernise India’s outdated laws, culminating in the four Labour Codes passed in 2020 and notified in 2025. For the first time, these Codes explicitly define “gig workers” and “platform workers,” recognising them as a distinct category deserving protection. This legal acknowledgment is groundbreaking, as previous frameworks largely ignored this workforce. The Code on Social Security, 2020, is particularly pivotal. It mandates social security benefits like life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, and old-age protection for unorganised workers, including gig workers.

Under the new Labour Codes, platforms must contribute 1-2% of their annual turnover to a dedicated fund, ensuring workers access schemes like the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) and Provident Fund (PF). This addresses long-standing gaps, where gig workers previously had no recourse for accidents or retirement savings. In December 2025, the Ministry of Labour and Employment released draft rules under this code, proposing that gig workers engaged for at least 90 days in a financial year, qualify for these benefits. This 90-day threshold is pragmatic, balancing eligibility with administrative feasibility.

The rules also require aggregators to register workers on a central portal, facilitating access to benefits like insurance and pensions. A 30-45 day public consultation period was opened, demonstrating PM Modi’s commitment to inclusive policymaking. Beyond the Codes, the Modi government has extended existing schemes to gig workers. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), or Ayushman Bharat, is being tailored for this sector, providing up to Rs 5 lakh in health coverage per family. In June 2025, plans were announced to launch a dedicated social security scheme under PM-JAY, covering medical expenses and hospitalisation for gig workers. Financial inclusion initiatives like Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) offer collateral-free loans to gig workers for upgrading vehicles or tools. Clearly, the likes of Chadha are either wilfully ignorant or have simply decided to sacrifice honesty of hard facts at the altar of political expediency.

Stand-Up India and Startup India provide entrepreneurial support, helping workers transition from gigs to small businesses. The e-Shram portal, launched in 2021, has registered over 30 crore unorganised workers, including gig workers, for universal social security cards that unlock benefits like accident insurance and pensions. These measures have tangible impacts. For instance, during the pandemic, gig workers benefited from emergency relief under schemes like PM Garib Kalyan Yojana. The Modi government’s focus on skilling, through programs like Skill India, equips workers with better opportunities, reducing dependency on low-pay gigs. Overall, these initiatives credit the administration with foresight, aiming to create a “Viksit Bharat” where economic growth includes worker dignity.

Chadha’s fake empathy includes posts on X (formerly Twitter), where he called workers “hostages with helmets”, but he was brutally called out by the likes of Zomato’s Deepinder Goyal. Chadha’s claims—low pay (e.g., Rs 763 for 15 hours), dangerous driving due to time pressures, and lack of security, do not align with worker testimonies and reports.

His call to end 10-minute deliveries as “cruelty” is hyperbolic. Labelling workers as “disposable data points” dramatises issues, polarising the debate. To cut a long story short, Chadha wanted to appropriate credit for all the hard work put in by the Modi government. But the AAP MP’s lies were called out by many social media influencers and ordinary citizens, who saw through his misinformed chicanery.

Chadha has fabricated facts; his examples, like a Blinkit worker’s low earnings, are simply unverified anecdotes. He overlooks many positives including the fact that many gig workers value flexibility and platforms like Blinkit and Zomato provide that, not to mention incentives during peak-demand hours. Also, the Modi government’s 90-day rule isn’t restrictive but ensures genuine engagement. The AAP MP decried “coordinated noise” and paid campaigns against him, but this was not a coordinated attack–his bluff was called out and he simply couldn’t digest the volley of data thrown at him. Data, that showed India’s gig economy is evolving and certainly not exploitative.

The Modi government’s instrumental role in ensuring institutionalisation of gig workers’ rights through the Labour Codes, is historic, as it provides a national framework absent before 2014. By integrating schemes like PM-JAY and e-Shram, the Modi administration has extended welfare to millions, fostering inclusive growth. These Codes mandate transparent pay and grievance mechanisms, potentially curbing algorithmic exploitation. The gig worker debate isn’t zero-sum. The Modi government’s initiatives lay a strong foundation, deserving recognition for formalising a sector long in the shadows. Chadha’s rhetorical advocacy is baseless instigation. For India to thrive, collaboration is essential–governments enforcing laws, platforms adopting ethical practices, and citizens pushing for accountability. What India certainly does not need are politicians like the AAP MP, who seek to polarise narratives, with falsehoods as their armour. Ultimately, an honest approach prioritises workers’ dignity, ensuring the gig economy drives progress for all. As India marches toward 2047, balancing innovation with equity will define its success. And needless to add, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the pathbreaking Labour Codes, notified in November 2025, has done what none of his predecessors dared to do—he has decided to give statutory rights to gig workers, in a sweeping move that will empower millions, who were on the fringes. They are now the mainstream and rightfully so.

Sanju Verma is an Economist, National Spokesperson of the BJP and the Bestselling Author of ‘The Modi Gambit’. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.