Key Points
Ministry launches e-Shram portal for gig worker social security registration
Budget provides healthcare coverage under AB-PMJAY
NITI Aayog projects 2.35 crore gig workers by 2029-30
Social Security Code 2020 defines platform worker protections
A gig worker is someone who takes short-term jobs, often for multiple service providers or aggregators.
Recognizing the contribution of gig and platform workers to the nation's economy, the Union Budget 2025-26 announcement includes provisions for registering online platform workers on the e-Shram portal, issuing identity cards, and providing healthcare coverage under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
The AB-PMJAY health scheme provides Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization across over 31,000 public and private empanelled hospitals in India.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment is soon launching the scheme to implement these budget provisions early, the ministry said in the statement.
As a first step, the Ministry requests that the platform workers self-register on the e-Shram portal so that they may be considered for the scheme's benefits as soon as possible.
"The Platform aggregators are also to disseminate this information among the platform workers engaged with them and facilitate them to register on the e-Shram portal," the ministry said.
Platform workers may visit the e-Shram portal -- https://register.eshram.gov.in -- of the Ministry and complete their registration on priority.
A committee comprising representatives from various stakeholders has been constituted to suggest a framework for providing social security and welfare benefits to gig and platform workers.
The Code on Social Security 2020, which the Parliament has enacted, defines gig workers and platform workers for the first time. The Code mentions Social Security and Welfare provisions for gig and platform workers.
The Code provides for framing suitable social security measures for gig workers and platform workers regarding life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity benefits, old age protection, etc.
The gig and platform economy is expanding, offering new jobs in sectors like ridesharing, delivery, logistics, and professional services. NITI Aayog has projected that the gig economy in India will employ over one crore workers in 2024-25, subsequently reaching 2.35 crore by 2029-30.
