From Recognition to Representation –A New Social Security Board for Gig Workers
Nov 3, 2026
The Labour Ministry’s notification of 30 October 2026 constitutes the National Social Security Board for Unorganised Workers and Gig & Platform Workers under the Code on Social Security, 2020. It builds the institution that will recommend, advice and monitor welfare schemes for India’s platform workforce. It is a significant step forward, but not a new benefit cheque just yet.
The changing face of work
India’s gig economy is built on convenience, speed and flexibility, supported by a workforce that often operates without fixed salaries, conventional employment arrangements or assured social security. While digital platforms have transformed how services are accessed, gig workers remain vulnerable to income disruptions caused by accidents, illness and old age. The key question, therefore, is how this growing workforce can be brought within a meaningful social security framework.
Meet the Board: Who gets a seat at the table?
Established under Section 6(1) of the Code on Social Security, 2020, the National Social Security Board will also serve as the Board for gig and platform workers under Section 114(6), with a tenure of three years. It brings together representatives of major aggregators, worker associations, trade unions, EPFO, ESIC, expert institutions and five State Governments.
Chaired by the Union Labour Minister, the Board is responsible for recommending welfare schemes, advising the Central Government, monitoring implementation and reviewing fund utilisation. Meeting at least three times a year, it aims to bring the Government, platforms and workers together to translate the social security framework into practical welfare measures.
The legal recognition
The Code on Social Security, 2020 brought gig and platform workers into the vocabulary of central labour legislation for the first time. Three definitions set the foundation:
- Gig worker, Section 2(35): A person who performs work or participates in a work arrangement and earns from it outside the traditional employer–employee relationship.
- Platform work, Section 2(60): A work arrangement outside the traditional employer–employee relationship in which organisations or individuals use an online platform to reach other organisations or individuals to solve specific problems or provide services for payment.
- Platform worker, Section 2(61): A person engaged in or undertaking platform work.
The legal point: A delivery partner may not be a conventional employee of the platform merely because they work through its app. Yet the absence of a traditional employment relationship no longer places the worker wholly outside the social security framework.
The aggregator’s new responsibility
Section 114 empowers the Central Government to notify social security schemes for gig and platform workers and requires aggregators to contribute 1%–2% of their annual turnover to the Social Security Fund, subject to a cap of 5% of the amount paid or payable to such workers. This contribution finances welfare schemes rather than providing direct payments to workers. The word to watch is notify. The actual benefits will depend on the schemes framed and notified by the Government.
The 2026 developments
The framework moved from paper to practice in under a year. Newest first:
| Date | Development | Why it matters |
| 30-Oct-26 | National Social Security Board constituted; chaired by the Union Labour Minister | Creates the body to recommend, advise on and monitor schemes |
| 08-May-26 | Aggregators must register on e-Shram portal, upload existing workers within 45 days, and report all new onboardings and exits in real time. | Makes the platform workforce visible to the State |
| 08-May-26 | Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026 notified | Puts the 1–2% contribution on a live footing and sets the eligibility test |
| 21-Nov-25 | Code on Social Security, 2020 in force | Statutory recognition of gig and platform workers |
The 90/120-day test. Under the Rules, a worker is eligible for scheme benefits after at least 90 days with one aggregator, or 120 days cumulatively across several, in the previous financial year. The Government may notify further conditions. Registration alone earns nothing.
The States are joining the race
While the Central Government develops its social security framework, several States are pursuing independent initiatives.
Karnataka’s Platform Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025, provides for a Welfare Board and dedicated Fund, financed through a 1%–5% welfare fee on aggregator payouts. Unlike the Central contribution, which is linked to aggregator turnover, the State levy is calculated on payments made to gig workers.
The Karnataka legislation is also facing legal challenges before the High Court concerning its overlap with the Central framework, while Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Telangana are exploring similar measures.
The bigger picture
The gig economy runs on flexibility. But the lives behind it cannot run on uncertainty forever. Recognition has arrived. Representation has begun. Now comes the real test: turning both into protection that workers can actually feel.
“The apps may run on algorithms. But the economy they power runs on people.”
