Raghav Chadha speaks for gig workers in Parliament, seeks dignity, protection, and fair pay

New Delhi [India], December 6 (ANI): AAP Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha has spoken about the "pain and misery" of India's gig workers who work under tremendous pressure and at times harsh weather conditions.

AAP MP Raghav Chadha demanded regulations on quick commerce and other app-based delivery and service businesses, especially emphasising the need for the benefits of gig workers.

"We press a button, a notification comes that your order is on its way, order delivered, your ride has arrived. There is always a human being behind this notification, whom we never acknowledge. I am speaking about Zomato and Swiggy delivery boys, Ola and Uber drivers, Blinkit and Zepto riders, and Urban Company's plumbers and beauticians. In government parlance, they are called gig workers. But I will call them invisible wheels of the Indian economy. I want to put forth their pain before the Parliament. Quick and instant commerce have changed our lives, but behind this super-fast service is a silent workforce who work all seasons, risking their lives for our orders," he said in his intervention, speaking in Hindi.

In a post on X sharing his Parliament intervention, the MP from Punjab called for dignity, protection, and fair pay for gig workers.

"Companies are earning in billions because of these workers, and many upped their valuations and became unicorns. But the conditions of the gig workers are worse off than daily wage labours," he added. "...I want to tell you that these people are not robots. They are also someone's father, husband, brother, or son. The House should think about them and end this cruelty of 10-minute delivery."

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 come into force on November 21, 2025.

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 Code provides for the establishment of a Social Security Fund to finance welfare schemes. The Code also provides for the establishment of a National Social Security Board for the welfare of gig workers and platform workers.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment had launched the e-Shram portal on 26.08.2021 for the creation of a Comprehensive National Database of Unorganised Workers, including platform workers, migrant 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 self-declaration basis. The Ministry of Labour and Employment has also launched the e-Shram- 'One-Stop-Solution' on 21.10.2024 that entails integration of different social security/welfare schemes at single portal i.e., e-Shram.

This is envisaged to enable unorganised workers registered on e-Shram to access social security schemes and see the benefits availed by them so far, through e-Shram.

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.

Earlier this week, in Parliament, the AAP MP also raised the pain that the common Indian family has to endure, which he termed 'dealing with insurance companies'.

"Sometimes cashless treatment is denied, sometimes claims are rejected, sometimes the patient runs after the insurance company for months for their reimbursement. This is exploitation. Health Insurance should not be a gamble, it must be a guarantee," the AAP MP had said. (ANI)

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