Balancing act: India needs a practical framework for gig workforce

In a labour landscape riddled with a shortage of good-quality jobs - ie those that come with benefits - gig workers are not to be envied

The gig economy is likely to become a major job creator in the foreseeable future. A study by the V V Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI), which is affiliated to the Union labour ministry, has estimated that by 2047, the gig and platform workforce will grow to 61 million, accounting for 15 per cent of India’s non-agricultural workforce. The study is based on estimates in a 2022 report by the NITI Aayog, which had projected that the number of gig workers would touch 23 million by 2030, and would comprise 7 per cent of the non-agricultural workforce as against 3