Lok Sabha Question No. 118 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-21
Subject: Classification of Gig Workers in PLFS
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Dr. M P Abdussamad Samadani

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 118

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025

## CLASSIFICATION OF GIG WORKERS IN PLFS

118.  DR. M P ABDUSSAMAD SAMADANI:

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

- (a)whether the Government has updated the Periodic Labour Force
- Survey (PLFS) to distinctly classify gig and platform workers;
- (b)if  not,  the  reasons  for  not  incorporating gig work  as a separate category despite its growing scale and recognition under the Code on Social Security, 2020; and
- (c)whether the Government proposes to introduce a dedicated survey module to capture the unique features of gig work such as taskbased engagement, multi-app usage and algorithmic governance and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c): 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.

As per an estimation by NITI Aayog vide its report titled 'India`s Booming Gig and Platform Economy' published in June 2022, the number of gig workers and platform workers in the country was 7.7  million  in  2020-21  which  is  expected  to  rise  to  23.5  million  by 2029-30.

Since  its  launch  in  2017,  Periodic  Labour  Force  Survey (PLFS) conducted by National Statistics Office (NSO), the Ministry of Statistics  &  Programme  Implementation  (MoSPI)  has  been  the primary source of statistics on labour force, activity participation of the population and structure of employment and unemployment in the country.

Based on the information collected in PLFS, labour force indicators,  viz.,  Labour  Force  Participation  Rate  (LFPR),  Worker Population  Ratio  (WPR),  Unemployment  Rate  (UR),  distribution  of workers  by  status  in  employment  (self-employed,  regular  wage  / salaried,  casual  labour),  by  industry  (as  per  National  Industrial and  occupation  (National  Classification  of Occupation (NCO)) of work etc.  are brought out  through the PLFS

Classification (NIC)) publications.

No updations in the PLFS schedule has been undertaken with the objective of specifically identifying persons engaged as 'gig workers. However, all market activities i.e. activities performed for pay  or  profit  which  result  in  production  of  goods  and  services  for exchange  are  included  under  the  domain  of  economic  activity considered in PLFS. The activity situation of a person who is found to be working or being engaged in economic activity during a specified reference period is associated with employment in PLFS. Hence, even the persons engaged as 'gig workers' for pay & profit are covered in PLFS.

The  feasibility  of  separately  identifying  gig  workers  as defined in the Code on Social Security, 2020 in PLFS is presently not under consideration of NSO, MoSPI.

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