Karnataka gig workers are calling on the state's Platform-Based Gig Workers Welfare Board to urgently launch welfare schemes, as mandated by the Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025, which has yet to be operationalized despite funds being deposited.
- Unions urge health, accident insurance, and income support rollout
- Nearly 700,000 gig workers in Karnataka lack social security protections
- Legal challenges stalled but no court stay on welfare schemes
What happened
The Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT) and Karnataka App-based Workers Union (KAWU) sent a letter to the Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers Welfare Board CEO demanding prompt adoption of welfare schemes. These requested benefits include health and accident insurance, income support during medical emergencies and disabilities, maternity benefits, educational scholarships, and an emergency distress fund for gig workers.
The unions also seek portable pensions, life insurance, and retirement benefits that remain valid if workers switch platforms or relocate. Despite aggregators such as Swiggy, Zomato, and Uber depositing welfare fees with the Karnataka High Court as directed, the rollout of social security benefits has not yet occurred.
Why it matters
Karnataka’s new Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025, aims to create a statutory social safety net covering approximately 700,000 gig workers who face income instability, health risks, and lack of accident protection. Gig workers largely remain vulnerable given the informal nature of their work and absence of traditional employer-provided benefits.
The aggregators’ legal challenge to the mandatory welfare fee has delayed implementation, but the High Court has not stayed the law, only requiring that fees be deposited with the court. This unique situation leaves funds secured but benefits unrealized, heightening workers’ hardships.
What to watch next
The unions have requested an urgent meeting of the welfare board to formally adopt and operationalize the schemes. They also advocate for including worker representatives and other stakeholders in consultations, ensuring the welfare programs effectively address the needs and concerns of platform workers.
Developments in the legal dispute involving platform aggregators and the Karnataka High Court will influence the timeline for scheme rollout. Observers will also monitor whether the board moves decisively to activate the statutory protections amid continuing discussions and regulatory oversight.