Union Budget 2026 Expectations | 'Prioritise welfare, social security of gig workers': DriveU CEO Rahm Shastry

With Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman set to present Union Budget 2026 in just two days, India’s rapidly expanding gig economy is seeking decisive policy action to strengthen social security protections for millions of platform-based workers. Industry stakeholders believe this year’s Budget could be pivotal in shaping a more secure and equitable framework for the country’s gig workforce.

Rahm Shastry, Co-founder and CEO of DriveU, said the Budget must prioritise gig-worker welfare, noting that India’s gig economy depends on millions of part-time and multi-platform workers who currently lack meaningful safety nets.

“We would expect the upcoming budget to be firmly centred on gig worker welfare. India’s gig economy runs on millions of workers who often work part-time or across multiple platforms. For them, social security cannot be conditional on rigid eligibility thresholds,” he said.

A key expectation is the implementation of the Code on Social Security, 2020, with more practical eligibility norms. Shastry emphasised the need to lower or eliminate the current 90–120 day requirement for workers to qualify for benefits. He argued that widening access to health and accident cover would be an essential first step.

He also called for a centrally managed national social security fund, supported by contributions from both aggregators and workers. Such a model, he said, would ensure portable benefits across platforms, while allowing workers to retain agency through their own contributions.