Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Labour and Employment addressed a question regarding the classification of gig workers in the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). While the Code on Social Security, 2020 defines gig and platform workers and provides for their social security, no updates have been made to the PLFS to specifically identify them. The feasibility of separately identifying gig workers in PLFS is presently not under consideration.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Code on Social Security, 2020:**
* Defines gig workers and platform workers.
* Provides for social security measures related to life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity benefits, and old age protection.
* **NITI Aayog Estimation (June 2022):**
* Estimated 7.7 million gig workers and platform workers in 2020-21.
* Projects this number to rise to 23.5 million by 2029-30.
* **Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS):**
* Conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
* Primary source of labor force statistics since 2017.
* Includes all market activities performed for pay or profit under economic activity.
* Covers gig workers engaged for pay or profit.
* No updations in the PLFS schedule has been undertaken with the objective of specifically identifying persons engaged as gig workers.
* The feasibility of separately identifying gig workers as defined in the Code on Social Security, 2020 in PLFS is presently not under consideration of NSO, MoSPI.
Impact Analysis:
**Gig Workers and Platform Workers:**
* Impact: Currently covered under the general employment categories within the PLFS but not specifically identified. Social security measures are outlined in the Code on Social Security, 2020, but the PLFS will not specifically identify them.
* Action Required: None specified in the document.
**National Statistics Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI):**
* Impact: Responsible for conducting the PLFS.
* Action Required: No action required. The feasibility of separately identifying gig workers as defined in the Code on Social Security, 2020 in PLFS is presently not under consideration.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Labour and Employment: The Indian government ministry responsible for labour and employment policies.
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS): A survey conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) to collect statistics on the labour force, employment, and unemployment in India.
Code on Social Security, 2020: An Indian law that provides for social security measures for gig workers and platform workers.
Sushri Shobha Karandlaje: Minister of State for Labour and Employment.
NITI Aayog: A policy think tank of the Government of India.
India's Booming Gig and Platform Economy: A report published by NITI Aayog in June 2022 regarding the gig and platform economy in India.
National Statistics Office (NSO): The Indian government agency responsible for conducting statistical surveys, including the PLFS.
National Industrial Classification (NIC): A system used to classify industries in India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 118
TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025
CLASSIFICATION OF GIG WORKERS IN PLFS
118. DR. M P ABDUSSAMAD SAMADANI:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to
state:
(a)whether the Government has updated the Periodic Labour Force
Survey (PLFS) to distinctly classify gig and platform workers;
(b)if not, the reasons for not incorporating gig work as a separate
category despite its growing scale and recognition under the Code
on Social Security, 2020; and
(c)whether the Government proposes to introduce a dedicated survey
module to capture the unique features of gig work such as task-
based engagement, multi-app usage and algorithmic governance
and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (c): For the first time, the definition of ‘gig workers’ and
‘platform workers’ and provisions related to the same have been
provided in the Code on Social Security, 2020 which has been
enacted by the Parliament.
The Code provides for framing of suitable social security
measures for gig workers and platform workers on matters relating
to life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity
benefits, old age protection, etc.
As per an estimation by NITI Aayog vide its report titled
“India`s Booming Gig and Platform Economy” published in June 2022,
the number of gig workers and platform workers in the country was
7.7 million in 2020-21 which is expected to rise to 23.5 million by
2029-30.
Contd..2/-:: 2 ::
Since its launch in 2017, Periodic Labour Force Survey
(PLFS) conducted by National Statistics Office (NSO), the Ministry of
Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has been the
primary source of statistics on labour force, activity participation of
the population and structure of employment and unemployment in the
country.
Based on the information collected in PLFS, labour force
indicators, viz., Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker
Population Ratio (WPR), Unemployment Rate (UR), distribution of
workers by status in employment (self-employed, regular wage /
salaried, casual labour), by industry (as per National Industrial
Classification (NIC)) and occupation (National Classification of
Occupation (NCO)) of work etc. are brought out through the PLFS
publications.
No updations in the PLFS schedule has been undertaken
with the objective of specifically identifying persons engaged as ‘gig
workers. However, all market activities i.e. activities performed for
pay or profit which result in production of goods and services for
exchange are included under the domain of economic activity
considered in PLFS. The activity situation of a person who is found to
be working or being engaged in economic activity during a specified
reference period is associated with employment in PLFS. Hence, even
the persons engaged as ‘gig workers’ for pay & profit are covered in
PLFS.
The feasibility of separately identifying gig workers as
defined in the Code on Social Security, 2020 in PLFS is presently not
under consideration of NSO, MoSPI.
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