New Delhi, Jan. 2 -- Gig and platform workers will need to complete a minimum of 90 days of work in a year to qualify for social security benefits under the draft rules released by the Centre to implement the four labour codes, according to officials familiar with the framework. The requirement is intended to set clear eligibility criteria as the government moves to extend statutory protections to workers in the app-based economy.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified draft rules under the Code on Wages, 2019; the Industrial Relations Code, 2020; the Code on Social Security, 2020; and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. The rules propose that gig workers engaged with a single aggregator for at least 90 days in the previous financial year will be eligible for social security coverage. Those working across multiple aggregators will qualify if they complete at least 120 days in aggregate during the same period.
Officials said days worked across platforms will be added cumulatively, and if a worker performs tasks for more than one aggregator on the same day, each instance will be counted as a separate working day. The draft rules also lay out definitions of gig work, platform work and aggregators for the first time and provide for a Social Security Fund to support benefits such as life and disability cover, health care and maternity assistance.
The release of the draft rules comes days after a nationwide strike by gig and platform workers on December 31, called by unions seeking better pay, working conditions and social security. Unions allege that delivery partners are being pushed to work longer hours even as earnings fall and point to unsafe delivery targets, limited job security and lack of dignity at work.
Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has reiterated the government's aim of extending social security coverage to 100 crore workers by March 2026, up from around 94 crore at present. Ministry data show coverage has expanded from 19 per cent in 2015 to more than 64 per cent in 2025. As labour is a concurrent subject under the Constitution, both the Centre and states must notify rules for the labour codes to take effect nationwide. With the Centre issuing draft rules, states are now expected to begin releasing their own drafts. The ministry has invited stakeholder feedback within 30 days for the Industrial Relations Code and within 45 days for the other three codes, indicating a proposed rollout from April 2026.
During the strike, Zomato founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal said the company and its quick-commerce arm Blinkit delivered a record 75 lakh orders on New Year's Eve. He said continued participation suggested the model could retain workers over time and thanked delivery partners for maintaining operations, adding that support from local law enforcement ensured smooth functioning during peak demand.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.