The government also mandates the registration of unorganised workers on the Centre's designated portal.
Gig Workers in India Could Get Social Security After Just 90 Days of Work
On December 30, 2025, the Union labour ministry said in a notification that it had released draft rules proposing that gig and platform workers must be engaged for a minimum of 90 days in a financial year with an aggregator to become eligible for social security benefits under the Centre’s framework. Workers engaged with more than one aggregator will need at least 120 days of engagement in a year to qualify for the norms.
The ministry explained that the draft defines a worker as “engaged” on any calendar day if they earn income for work performed for an aggregator on that day, irrespective of the earnings. Engagement days are counted cumulatively across multiple aggregators; for instance, working with three aggregators on the same day would count as three engagement days.
The rules clarify that eligible gig or platform workers include those engaged directly by an aggregator or through an associate, holding or subsidiary company, a limited liability partnership, or a third party.
The notification was issued a day before a strike by gig and platform workers on New Year’s Eve, when workers demanded higher payouts and improved conditions.
The government also mandates the registration of unorganised workers on the Centre’s designated portal, where each registered worker will receive a digital identity card with a photo and specified details. The labour ministry has already begun registration on the e-Shram portal, which serves as the national database for unorganised workers and a gateway to accessing social security benefits.
Source: Hindustan Times
