The Central Government has notified the constitution of the National Social Security Board for Unorganised Workers and Gig and Platform Workers, creating a formal institutional mechanism to advise on and monitor social security measures for workers outside conventional salaried employment.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment announced the notification on October 30, 2026, under the statutory framework of the Code on Social Security, 2020. The ministry said the Board would cover unorganised workers as well as people engaged in gig and platform-based work.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: The Centre notified the constitution of the National Social Security Board for unorganised workers and gig and platform workers.
Location: India
Authority/Organisation: Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India.
Action Taken: The government constituted the Board under the Code on Social Security, 2020, with representation from government bodies, aggregators, employers, civil society and worker organisations.
Impact: The Board will recommend and monitor social security measures; individual benefits will depend on separate schemes, eligibility rules and implementation.
The Board will be chaired by the Union Minister for Labour and Employment. Its membership will include representatives from Central and State Governments, aggregator companies, employers, civil society organisations, workers' unions and associations representing gig and platform workers.
According to the ministry, the Board is mandated to recommend suitable welfare schemes to the Central Government, advise on matters related to the administration of the Social Security Code and monitor the implementation of social welfare schemes administered by the Centre.
It will also review record-keeping functions performed at the State level, examine expenditure from the relevant funds and accounts, and undertake other responsibilities assigned by the Central Government.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
A large number of workers earn through informal arrangements or digital platforms rather than conventional salaried employment. Their access to insurance, health protection, maternity support and old-age security can differ from that of workers covered by established employment-linked systems. The notified Board provides a formal mechanism through which worker representatives, aggregator companies, government officials and other stakeholders can participate in discussions on social security measures. Its recommendations could inform the design of welfare schemes and help the government review how existing measures are implemented. The inclusion of representatives from platform companies and worker organisations also creates a structured forum for considering different interests within the digital work economy. The development is significant for the policy framework, but its practical effect will depend on what schemes are recommended, approved, funded and implemented. The Board's constitution alone does not establish that all workers will receive immediate or automatic benefits.
The notification provides for different membership arrangements when the Board deals with unorganised workers and when it considers the welfare of gig and platform workers. The published notification identifies representatives from aggregator companies and worker organisations for the gig and platform worker composition.
Business Standard reported that the platform-company representatives include Eternal Group, Swiggy, Zepto, Urban Company and Rapido. Worker representation includes members from the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, National Front of Indian Trade Unions and Trade Union Coordination Centre. The reported composition also includes representatives from five State Governments and relevant social security institutions.
The Board's constitution is linked to provisions in the Code on Social Security, 2020. Section 6 provides for the National Social Security Board for unorganised workers, while Section 114(6) provides that the same Board will also function for the welfare of gig and platform workers with a different set of members for those matters.
The framework is relevant to workers who earn through app-based delivery, transport, household services and other digital platforms, as well as people working in the wider unorganised sector.
However, the notification should not be interpreted as an announcement that every gig worker will immediately receive a new pension, insurance payment or other direct benefit. The Board's responsibilities include recommending and monitoring welfare schemes. The availability, eligibility conditions, funding arrangements and implementation of individual benefits depend on the relevant schemes and government decisions.
The ministry has described the notification as a step towards strengthening social security arrangements for India's informal workforce. The Board's future recommendations and monitoring work will help determine how the statutory framework is translated into welfare measures.
