The Gig Economy

As India moves to operationalise social security contributions for gig and platform workers, a seemingly technical design choice could carry outsized consequences for different segments of the platform economy: whether aggregators should contribute based on annual turnover or on a percentage of individual worker payouts. A contribution mechanism for gig-worker social security that is linked to individual transactions rather than an aggregator's turnover could create a sharply uneven financial burden across the platform economy, hitting businesses built on high transaction volumes but low-ticket sizes especially hard, analysts and industry sources said. The Code on Social Security, 2020 requires aggregators to contribute to a Social Security Fund for gig and platform workers. Under the rules, a gig worker becomes eligible for benefits after 90 days of engagement with a single aggregator, or 120 days across multiple aggregators, in a financial year. Aggregators are required to assess .

Choose the correct income-tax return (ITR) form, reconcile tax deducted at source (TDS) with Form 26AS and the Annual Information Statement (AIS), and keep records ready before claiming deductions

Draft regulations aligned with the Code on Social Security, 2020 also propose new regional offices and a digital compliance framework ahead of expanded coverage

Amazon and Flipkart are expanding dark-store networks beyond major urban markets as competition and saturation pressure profitability in metros

Union Cooperation Amit Shah on Monday said the newly launched cooperative cab service Bharat Taxi will guarantee a minimum base rate per kilometre for all drivers on its platform, asserting that existing ride-hailing aggregators had deliberately avoided setting such a floor to maximise corporate profits at the expense of workers. Addressing a town hall interaction with cab and auto drivers from Delhi-NCR and Gujarat, Shah said the cooperative ride-hailing platform would return 80 per cent of profits to drivers based on kilometres driven, with the remaining 20 per cent retained as cooperative capital. "I asked all three companies whether they had set a minimum base rate for their drivers. They said no," Shah told the gathering during the 40-minute interaction. "We will not do this. Whatever business you do, your minimum should be fixed. And whatever is more than that has to come back to you." AMUL MODEL --------------- Shah drew repeated parallels between Bharat Taxi and the Amul

The demands include the formation of a dedicated Gig Workers Board to ensure improved working conditions and social security

Deepening inequality makes working-class lives increasingly precarious in India

On raising capital, Goyal said the company never gave predictions to investors and instead spoke only about the market size and the opportunity available

Goyal explained that Zomato gig workers earn a steady income, get welfare support, have flexible schedules, and are not pressured by 10-minute delivery promises, countering claims of exploitation

Food delivery and quick commerce platforms like Zomato, Swiggy and Zepto must now contribute up to 2 per cent of their turnover for gig and platform worker welfare

Backed by major investors and strategic partners, the company aims to help 10 million independent workers access financial security by 2030

Flipkart Marketplace has recorded 25-30% growth in sellers over six months, aided by AI tools, simplified GST compliance and expanded fulfilment ahead of the festive season

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Union audit of 51 qcom warehouses in Delhi finds poor access to toilets, rest areas, safety gear, and management support for gig workers across major platforms

Employer-employee relationship, work hours, wage guarantee, termination from work by platform remain pressing concerns

The study by the labour ministry-affiliated VV Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI) focused on the current scenario of gig workers and their socio-demographic

While qcom has emerged as a viable alternative, the overall investments and count of players in the segment will go up

Says the budget is forward looking and will definitely make India the third largest economy by 2030

Forum for Progressive Gig Workers' report says this market is expected to expand at 17% CAGR to reach a gross volume of $455 bn by year-end

Ola Electric aims for wider adoption through collaboration with Ola Cabs