Govt. mulls social security schemes for gig workers as their number could reach 2.5 crore by decade-end

The number of gig workers in India could reach 2.5 crore by the end of the decade, and the government is in consultation with fund managers to bring social security schemes for them, a Labour Ministry official said on Friday (May 29, 2026).At present, the country has around 1 crore gig workers, including those engaged with app-based food delivery and ride-hailing platforms.The government is collecting the workforce data, and all these platforms have to update their workers' details on the Labour Ministry's e-Shram portal by June 22, said Ashutosh A. T. Pednekar, Joint Secretary and Director General of Labour Welfare."A huge part of our workforce is now getting absorbed in the gig and platform economy, and the potential is immense. Today, around 1 crore workers are employed in this sector, and the potential is to reach around 2.5 crore workers by the end of the decade. The government is focusing more towards this sector," he said, speaking at the 'Stakeholders Consultation on Opportunities and Challenges of Gig and Platform Workers in India'.

Joint Secretary and Director General, Labour Welfare, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ashutosh A.T. Pednekar attends ‘Stakeholders’ Consultation on Opportunities and Challenges of Gig and Platform Workers in India, in New Delhi on May 29, 2026.