The Central Government has taken an important step towards strengthening social security benefits for gig workers, platform workers and people employed in the unorganised sector. The Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified the National Social Security Board, creating a formal mechanism to develop and monitor welfare schemes for these categories of workers.
The notification, issued on October 30, 2026, is expected to improve the participation of workers, employers and government representatives in decisions concerning social protection. The move is part of the implementation framework under the Code on Social Security, which came into force in November 2025.
National Social Security Board to Include Gig Workers
The newly notified board will bring together representatives from different sections of the workforce and industry.
Its membership will include representatives from:
- Central and state governments.
- Aggregator companies and employers.
- Civil society organisations.
- Workers’ unions.
- Gig and platform worker associations.
The board will be chaired by the Union Labour and Employment Minister. It will meet at least three times a year to discuss policies and welfare measures affecting these workers.
New Responsibilities for the Social Security Board
The board will have several important responsibilities related to workers’ welfare.
It will advise the Central Government on designing and implementing suitable social security schemes for unorganised workers, gig workers and platform workers.
It will also monitor existing central welfare programmes, review state-level record-keeping activities and examine expenditure from the funds established for social security purposes.
These responsibilities are intended to improve coordination and ensure that welfare programmes are properly monitored.
What Is the Code on Social Security?
The Code on Social Security provides a common legal framework covering different categories of workers, including those in organised and unorganised employment.
It brings together provisions from nine existing social security laws into a consolidated framework.
The code also provides a foundation for extending social protection to gig and platform workers, who often work through digital platforms and aggregator companies.
How Will Gig Workers and Labourers Benefit?
The notification establishes a formal institutional structure through which welfare policies for gig workers and unorganised labourers can be discussed and monitored.
For workers, the development could help address gaps in access to social security benefits through better-designed welfare schemes.
However, the notification itself does not announce a new monthly payment or guarantee an immediate financial benefit. Specific benefits will depend on the schemes framed and decisions taken under the social security framework.
The formation of the board marks an important administrative development in the government’s efforts to extend social protection to workers outside traditional employment arrangements.
