Labour minister Vivek Venkataswamy, who introduced the new bill for gig workers in Telangana
Hyderabad: In a step towards protecting the rights of gig workers, the Telangana Assembly on Monday, March 30, passed the Telangana Platform-Based Gig Workers Registration, Social Security and Welfare Bill 2026. Under this, strict penalties have been prescribed for non-compliance of welfare laws.
Under the new bill, platform companies will have to submit details regularly and file electronic returns every three months. Strict penalties have been prescribed for non-compliance of rules — Rs 50,000 for the first violation, Rs 1 lakh for the second, Rs 1.5 lakh for the third, and up to five times the arrears thereafter.
Labour, Employment and Mines Minister Dr. G. Vivek Venkataswamy said the state government brought in this legislation to give legal recognition to gig workers in the digital economy. A special Welfare Board will be constituted for gig workers and registered worker will be given a unique ID. “A welfare fund will be created through a 1-2% levy on transactions, from which insurance, pension and maternity benefits will be provided. A maximum of 5% of the fund can be used for the board’s operating expenses,” said a release.
The new bill for gig workers in Telangana also mandates transparent policies. Aggregator platforms must disclose salary and deduction details, and arbitrary use of algorithms that affect workers will not be alloawed.
Minister Vivek informed the Telangana Assembly that the government first discussed the problems of gig workers with unions and then prepared a draft bill, which was placed in the public domain for 30 days. “As many as 65 suggestions were received and incorporated. He said he had personally held five meetings since taking charge as Minister to address the concerns of unions,” he added.
As per the bill, the Welfare Board will have 20 members, including representatives of gig worker aggregators, and will meet annually. Platform-level committees with special officers will be formed to resolve complaints quickly.
“Through this Bill, we are ensuring security and rights for gig workers who are an important part of the digital economy,” the Minister said. The bill is expected to benefit lakhs of delivery riders, cab drivers and other platform workers across the state.
This post was last modified on March 30, 2026 6:12 pm