Gig and platform workers' social security board notified

The Labour Ministry has notified the National Social Security Board for Unorganised Workers and Gig and Platform Workers under the Code on Social Security - chaired by the Labour Minister, with aggregators and gig associations at the table, to recommend and monitor schemes rather than run them.

What happened

• The Ministry of Labour and Employment notified the constitution of the National Social Security Board for Unorganised Workers and Gig & Platform Workers, under the statutory framework of the Code on Social Security.
• The Board is presided over by the Union Minister for Labour and Employment and includes representatives of the Central and State Governments, aggregator companies, employers, civil society organisations, workers' unions and gig and platform associations.
• It is mandated to design, monitor and recommend targeted welfare schemes for gig and platform workers alongside traditional unorganised workers, and must meet at least thrice a year under rules of procedure prescribed by the Centre.
• Its listed functions are to recommend schemes for different sections of these workers, advise the Centre on matters referred to it under the Code, and monitor Central welfare schemes administered for them.
• It will also review record-keeping at the State level, review expenditure from the fund and account, and take on other functions the Centre assigns; the release calls this a historic shift for gig and platform workers.

For Prelims

• Code on Social Security, 2020: one of four Labour Codes - with the Code on Wages, 2019, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 - that together consolidate 29 central labour laws and came into force on 21 November 2025.
• Section 6 of the Code: sets up the National Social Security Board with the Union Labour Minister as chairperson, a three-year term and at least three meetings a year, with representation for SCs, STs, minorities and women. Each State constitutes its own unorganised workers' board under Section 6(9).
• Gig worker and platform worker: a gig worker earns from work outside a traditional employer-employee relationship; a platform worker does such work through an online platform that connects organisations or individuals to solve problems or provide services. The Code defines both terms.
• Aggregator levy: the Code lets the Centre charge aggregators 1 to 2 per cent of annual turnover, capped at 5 per cent of the amount paid or payable to gig and platform workers, credited to the Social Security Fund. Turnover excludes taxes and cess paid to the Centre.
• e-Shram: the national database of unorganised workers, launched on 26 August 2021, gives each registered worker a 12-digit Universal Account Number; registrations stood at 31.89 crore on 18 August 2026.
• Statutory, advisory body: created under an Act of Parliament, the Board is a statutory body, unlike the e-Shram portal, which is an executive initiative. Its role is to recommend, advise, monitor and review; schemes are framed and financed by the Government.
• Beyond tripartism: Indian labour bodies have traditionally been tripartite - government, employers, workers. This Board adds aggregator companies, civil society and gig and platform associations, because gig work by definition sits outside the employer-employee relationship.
• The data it will need: on 23 October MoSPI proposed a separate stratum for digital platform workers in the labour force survey from January 2027 (carded, PRID 2327153). Monitoring coverage of gig workers requires first knowing how many there are.

For Mains

Syllabus: GS2.9 · GS2.12 · Linkage L1