Gig workers in India: Data gaps hinder social security and policy
Despite formal recognition and inclusion in social protection schemes, gig and platform workers in India lack clear statistical visibility in primary labour data sources like the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). The PLFS subsumes gig work under vague categories such as 'self-employed,' failing to capture its unique nature—multiple job roles, algorithm dependence, lack of formal contracts, and absence of safety metrics. This statistical invisibility hinders evidence-based policymaking, making access to welfare schemes uneven and exclusionary. The article calls for updating PLFS classification codes or introducing specific survey modules to distinctly capture gig work, ensuring inclusive policy for this growing workforce, projected to reach 23.5 million by 2029-30.
Key Points
- Gig and platform workers, despite formal recognition, lack distinct classification in India's primary labour statistics, such as the PLFS.
- The current classification fails to capture the unique characteristics of gig work, including algorithm dependence and lack of formal contracts.
- This statistical invisibility hinders evidence-based policymaking and makes access to social security schemes uneven and exclusionary for gig workers.
- Updating the PLFS with specific categories or modules for gig work is crucial for inclusive policy and better understanding of this growing workforce.
Exam Facts
- The Code on Social Security, 2020, Chapter I, Section 2(35) defines a gig worker.
- NITI Aayog's 2022 report 'India's Booming Gig and Platform Economy' projects gig workforce to reach 23.5 million by 2029-30.
- The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) is India's primary labour statistics source.
- Clause 141 of the Code on Social Security, 2020, mandates a Social Security Fund for unorganised, gig, and platform workers.
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