Telangana prepares draft bill for welfare of gig workers

IANS April 14, 2025 144 views

Telangana is pioneering a groundbreaking legislative approach to protect gig workers' rights and welfare. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has initiated a comprehensive draft bill that seeks to provide job security and insurance for approximately 4 lakh workers across various sectors. The government plans to finalize the bill by April 25, actively soliciting public feedback and input. This innovative legislation aims to set a national benchmark for gig worker protection and is scheduled for implementation on International Labour Day.

"This legislation should serve as a model for the entire country" - A. Revanth Reddy, Telangana Chief Minister
Hyderabad, April 14: The Telangana government has prepared a draft bill for the welfare and security of gig and platform workers, and the same will be finalised later this month.

Key Points

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Telangana prepares comprehensive bill for gig worker welfare

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Draft to be finalized by April 25 with public input

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Aims to provide job security and insurance

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Targeting implementation on May 1st

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday said that this legislation should serve as a model for the entire country.

He directed officials to make the draft bill immediately available for public opinion.

At a meeting with ministers and officials, he emphasised that the final draft should be prepared after considering the suggestions, opinions, and objections received from the public. The final version of the bill will be ready by April 25.

The Chief Minister held a special meeting at the Secretariat with representatives of gig workers, union leaders, and senior officials from various departments.

The Labour Department has prepared a draft of the ‘Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Bill’ aimed at providing job security, insurance, and other rights to gig workers. Officials explained the contents of the draft to the Chief Minister during the meeting.

He suggested several changes and additions to the draft. He stressed that the new law should prioritise the safety of workers while also fostering harmony and coordination between the companies and aggregators. He instructed officials to upload the draft bill online immediately and collect feedback from the public.

He ordered that the final version of the bill be ready by April 25, taking all inputs into account. He emphasised that the process should be completed within the stipulated time so that the bill can be implemented on May 1st, International Labour Day.

The Chief Minister noted that nearly 4 lakh gig workers are employed across the state in sectors such as food delivery, transport, and package delivery. He directed officials to accept suggestions, objections, and feedback from all sections of society.

The Chief Minister recalled that the government had promised to enact legislation for the safety of gig and platform workers before the elections. He also noted that Telangana was the first state in the country to implement accidental insurance for gig workers.

He mentioned that on December 30, 2023, the government issued orders to provide Rs 5 lakh accidental insurance in the event of a gig or platform worker’s death.

Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and P. Srinivas Reddy, Government Advisor Vem Narender Reddy, Vice Chairman of the State Planning Board G. Chinna Reddy, Chief Secretary Shanti Kumari, Special Chief Secretaries Ramakrishna Rao, Jayesh Ranjan and Sanjay Kumar, along with other senior officials, attended the meeting.

Reader Comments

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Rahul K.
This is such a progressive move! Gig workers deserve these protections. Hope other states follow Telangana's lead 👏
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Sunita M.
My brother is a delivery partner and works 12+ hours daily. Finally some recognition for these hard workers! The insurance part is especially important.
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Arjun P.
While I appreciate the initiative, I hope they consider the impact on companies too. The bill should balance worker rights with business viability.
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Priya R.
About time! These workers take so much risk on roads every day. The Rs 5 lakh insurance is a good start but hope they include health benefits too 🤞
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Vikram S.
I'm glad they're making the draft public for feedback. Transparency in policy-making is crucial. Will definitely read and submit suggestions.
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Neha T.
As someone who uses food delivery apps daily, I fully support this. We should all care about the people bringing us our meals and packages.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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