Lok Sabha Question No. 3658 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-11
Subject: Social Security for Online Platform Gig Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3658 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025

## SOCIAL SECURITY FOR ONLINE PLATFORM GIG WORKERS

3658.    SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  formally  launched  the  proposed Social  Security  Scheme  for  online  platform  gig  workers,  as announced and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  details  of  the  total  number  of  gig  and  platform  workers currently registered on the e- Shram portal, State/UT-wise along with the percentage that comprises workers associated with appbased delivery, ride-hailing and freelance digital services;
- (c) whether the Government has taken any steps to integrate the said workers under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) and if so, the number of gig workers received Ayushman Bharat health cards;
- (d) whether any financial or insurance assistance has been provided by the Government to gig workers who suffered loss of livelihood, disability or health issues during or after the COVID-19 pandemic; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  is  considering  for  setting  up  of  a dedicated Social Security Board for Gig and Platform Workers and if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  current  status  of  said proposal?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

- (a) to (e): For  the  first  time,  the  definition  of  'gig  workers'  and 'platform workers' and provisions related to the same have been provided  in  the  Code  on  Social  Security,  2020  which  has  been enacted by the Parliament.

The  Code  provides  for  framing  of  suitable social security  measures  for  gig  workers  and  platform  workers  on matters relating to life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity benefits, old age protection, etc.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment had launched eShram  portal  on  26.08.2021  for  creation  of  a  Comprehensive National  Database  of  Unorganised  Workers  including  platform workers, migrant workers, agriculture workers etc. The e-Shram portal is meant to register and support the unorganised workers by providing them a Universal Account Number (UAN) on a selfdeclaration basis. The State/UT-wise details of gig and platform workers registered on e-Shram portal is annexed.

The Government  in its  Budget  Announcement  for financial year 2025-26 has announced several key measures for the welfare of Gig workers of online platforms (platform workers) viz. their registration on the e-Shram portal, issuance of identity cards,  and  extension  of  health  care  benefits  under  Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Arogya  Yojana  (AB-PMJAY).  The  ABPMJAY scheme for platform workers has not been launched.

The guidelines to process accidental death/ disability claims on e-Shram through ex-gratia, in line with Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), were issued on 24.08.2023. As per the guidelines, unorganised workers registered on e-Shram between the period from 26.08.2021 and 31.03.2022 and those who met with an accident during the aforesaid period shall be entitled for  Rupees  Two  lakh  in  case  of  accidental  death  or  total irrecoverable  disability  and  Rupees  One  lakh  in  case  of  partial irrecoverable disability.

The Code on Social Security, 2020 have provisions to constitute a National Social Security Board for the purposes of the welfare of gig workers and platform workers.

*                                               *****

## State-wise details of platform workers registered on e-Shram portal (as on 06.08.2025)

|   Sl. No. | State/UT                                   | Number of Registrations on e-Shram portal   |
|-----------|--------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
|         1 | ANDAMANANDNICOBAR ISLANDS                  | 109                                         |
|         2 | ANDHRA PRADESH                             | 26,501                                      |
|         3 | ARUNACHAL PRADESH                          | 369                                         |
|         4 | ASSAM                                      | 7,029                                       |
|         5 | BIHAR                                      | 15,360                                      |
|         6 | CHANDIGARH                                 | 419                                         |
|         7 | CHHATTISGARH                               | 2,569                                       |
|         8 | DELHI                                      | 10,310                                      |
|         9 | GOA                                        | 670                                         |
|        10 | GUJARAT                                    | 17,279                                      |
|        11 | HARYANA                                    | 6,990                                       |
|        12 | HIMACHAL PRADESH                           | 773                                         |
|        13 | JAMMU AND KASHMIR                          | 1,661                                       |
|        14 | JHARKHAND                                  | 5,850                                       |
|        15 | KARNATAKA                                  | 12,308                                      |
|        16 | KERALA                                     | 5,646                                       |
|        17 | LADAKH                                     | 21                                          |
|        18 | LAKSHADWEEP                                | 3                                           |
|        19 | MADHYAPRADESH                              | 13,040                                      |
|        20 | MAHARASHTRA                                | 78,207                                      |
|        21 | MANIPUR                                    | 457                                         |
|        22 | MEGHALAYA                                  | 837                                         |
|        23 | MIZORAM                                    | 98                                          |
|        24 | NAGALAND                                   | 369                                         |
|        25 | ODISHA                                     | 4,176                                       |
|        26 | PUDUCHERRY                                 | 236                                         |
|        27 | PUNJAB                                     | 4,735                                       |
|        28 | RAJASTHAN                                  | 15,605                                      |
|        29 | SIKKIM                                     | 217                                         |
|        30 | TAMIL NADU                                 | 16,794                                      |
|        31 | TELANGANA                                  | 12,323                                      |
|        32 | THE DADRA AND NAGAR HAVELI AND DAMANANDDIU | 63                                          |
|        33 | TRIPURA                                    | 1,147                                       |
|        34 | UTTAR PRADESH                              | 21,812                                      |
|        35 | UTTARAKHAND                                | 2,141                                       |
|        36 | WEST BENGAL                                | 9,111                                       |