AAP leader Raghav Chadha has welcomed the Centre’s newly proposed social security rules for gig and platform workers, calling them a “small but important win” for millions of delivery partners and app-based workers across India. The move follows years of growing demands for legal recognition, welfare protection, and fair treatment in the fast-expanding gig economy.
Sharing a video message on social media, Chadha congratulated gig workers and said the new draft rules represent the first real step toward acknowledging their contribution to India’s economy. He stressed that the change did not come easily and was driven largely by the voices of workers themselves. According to him, while companies such as Zomato, Swiggy, and Blinkit chose not to respond meaningfully to worker concerns, the government finally stepped in to address their long-standing demands.
Congratulations to all Gig Workers and Delivery Partners. There is good news for you.
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) January 4, 2026
Central Government’s draft Social Security Rules are the first step towards recognition, protection and dignity for your work.
Even though the Platforms (Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, etc.) chose… pic.twitter.com/tD7iyI25k6
Chadha said the new framework marks a turning point for delivery partners and platform workers who have worked for years without job security, insurance, or social protection. He added that their persistent efforts, combined with advocacy in Parliament, had helped bring the issue to the national spotlight. “This is not just a political victory, it is a people’s victory,” he said, calling it a step toward dignity and fairness for workers who keep India’s digital economy moving.
The draft rules have been introduced under the Code on Social Security, 2020, which came into force in November 2025. For the first time, Indian law clearly defines gig workers and platform workers and provides a legal framework for their welfare. The code allows the government to roll out schemes covering life and disability insurance, accident protection, health and maternity benefits, and old-age support.
The new system also proposes the creation of a Social Security Fund that will be used to finance welfare programmes for gig workers, along with a National Social Security Board to oversee their implementation and policy direction. These measures aim to bring stability to a workforce that has so far remained outside traditional labour protections.
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To qualify for benefits, the draft rules say a worker must be engaged with one aggregator for at least 90 days, or across multiple platforms for at least 120 days, in the previous financial year. This requirement is meant to ensure that active workers in the gig economy are the primary beneficiaries of the scheme.
The Labour Ministry plans to use the e-Shram portal as the backbone of this system. The portal already holds a national database of unorganised workers, including platform workers, and provides each registered individual with a Universal Account Number. Through e-Shram, workers will be able to access multiple welfare schemes on a single digital platform.
Chadha has been a consistent voice for gig worker rights in Parliament, often raising concerns about what he has described as exploitative working conditions in the platform economy. He has argued that companies profit from flexible labour while leaving workers vulnerable to income loss, accidents, and health emergencies.
While acknowledging that the draft rules are only the beginning, Chadha said they mark an important shift in the government’s approach. He described the move as proof that public pressure can drive meaningful reform, even when powerful corporations resist change.
For millions of delivery partners and app-based workers, the proposed framework offers the promise of security and recognition that has long been missing from the gig economy. If implemented effectively, it could redefine the future of platform work in India, bringing stability to one of the country’s fastest-growing labour sectors.