New Labour Codes aim for big reform, but face bigger test of enforcement

The Centre has notified implementation of four labour codes, including new provisions for gig workers. But definitions, enforcement capacity and state rules may decide how far benefits reach

Raman (27) started working as a deliveryman a few years ago, running errands for up to 12 hours a day in the national capital for food, grocery and quick commerce platforms. He is a gig worker, and his life could be about to be changed. 

Like Raman, there are 10 million gig workers in India, according to a NITI Aayog report, which projects the number to grow to 23.5 million by 2029-30. They are the foot-soldiers of India’s informal service sector, but Raman is unaware of this status, let alone his entitlements as a worker — an irony given that