<p>Hyderabad: Even as the Telangana government prepares to implement the Telangana Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration, Social Security, and Welfare) Bill, 2026 recently passed by the State Assembly and granted the governor's assent, an industry forum has flagged certain provisions and called for wider consultations with stakeholders.</p><p>The Forum for Progressive Gig Workers in India (FPGWI) has urged the Telangana government to adopt a balanced and growth-oriented approach while finalising the legislation. </p>.Telangana, Karnataka hold talks on Krishna river water sharing, future irrigation plans.<p>The forum stressed the need to safeguard worker welfare without disrupting the flexibility and scalability of the platform economy, noting that certain provisions resembling traditional employment structures such as fixed remuneration frameworks, notice periods, enquiry processes, and restrictions on operational flexibility may create legal uncertainty and undermine the efficiency of platform-based services.</p><p>The FPGWI emphasised that the objective should not be to regulate the gig economy in a manner analogous to conventional employment relationships, but rather to craft a modern, flexible, and sustainable framework tailored to the evolving nature of platform work.</p><p>In a representation submitted to the government, the forum welcomed Telangana's progressive intent to recognise platform-based gig workers and build a comprehensive welfare framework for the sector. It noted that Telangana has emerged as one of India's leading digital economy hubs, where the platform economy plays a critical role in enabling flexible earning opportunities, entrepreneurship, logistics efficiency, and economic participation for thousands of individuals — including women, students, migrants, and first-time workers.</p><p>"Telangana has the opportunity to create a model framework that balances worker welfare with innovation, flexibility, entrepreneurship, and economic growth," said K. Narsimhan, Convener of the Forum for Progressive Gig Workers in India. "While social security and worker welfare are important policy objectives, an overly prescriptive or employment-style regulatory framework could unintentionally disrupt the operational flexibility that enables the gig economy to function effectively at scale," he added.</p><p>The forum also recommended preserving the distinction between gig work and traditional employment relationships, as recognised under the Code on Social Security, 2020, and cautioned against duplicating regulatory mechanisms already covered under existing laws and institutional frameworks.</p><p><br>According to the legislation prepared by the state labour department, the Bill will provide welfare benefits, job security, insurance, and other rights to nearly four lakh gig workers across the state, including food delivery personnel, cab drivers, and package couriers.</p><p><br>The legislation will also establish a dedicated board and welfare fund for gig workers. All aggregators and platforms will be required to register with the board within 45 days of the Act's commencement, and the board will maintain and publish a register of all aggregators operating in the state on its web portal.</p><p>The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers' Social Security and Welfare Fund will draw from multiple sources, including welfare fees levied under the Act, worker contributions toward specific social security schemes, government grants, Corporate Social Responsibility funds, donations, and other prescribed sources.</p>
<p>Hyderabad: Even as the Telangana government prepares to implement the Telangana Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration, Social Security, and Welfare) Bill, 2026 recently passed by the State Assembly and granted the governor's assent, an industry forum has flagged certain provisions and called for wider consultations with stakeholders.</p><p>The Forum for Progressive Gig Workers in India (FPGWI) has urged the Telangana government to adopt a balanced and growth-oriented approach while finalising the legislation. </p>.Telangana, Karnataka hold talks on Krishna river water sharing, future irrigation plans.<p>The forum stressed the need to safeguard worker welfare without disrupting the flexibility and scalability of the platform economy, noting that certain provisions resembling traditional employment structures such as fixed remuneration frameworks, notice periods, enquiry processes, and restrictions on operational flexibility may create legal uncertainty and undermine the efficiency of platform-based services.</p><p>The FPGWI emphasised that the objective should not be to regulate the gig economy in a manner analogous to conventional employment relationships, but rather to craft a modern, flexible, and sustainable framework tailored to the evolving nature of platform work.</p><p>In a representation submitted to the government, the forum welcomed Telangana's progressive intent to recognise platform-based gig workers and build a comprehensive welfare framework for the sector. It noted that Telangana has emerged as one of India's leading digital economy hubs, where the platform economy plays a critical role in enabling flexible earning opportunities, entrepreneurship, logistics efficiency, and economic participation for thousands of individuals — including women, students, migrants, and first-time workers.</p><p>"Telangana has the opportunity to create a model framework that balances worker welfare with innovation, flexibility, entrepreneurship, and economic growth," said K. Narsimhan, Convener of the Forum for Progressive Gig Workers in India. "While social security and worker welfare are important policy objectives, an overly prescriptive or employment-style regulatory framework could unintentionally disrupt the operational flexibility that enables the gig economy to function effectively at scale," he added.</p><p>The forum also recommended preserving the distinction between gig work and traditional employment relationships, as recognised under the Code on Social Security, 2020, and cautioned against duplicating regulatory mechanisms already covered under existing laws and institutional frameworks.</p><p><br>According to the legislation prepared by the state labour department, the Bill will provide welfare benefits, job security, insurance, and other rights to nearly four lakh gig workers across the state, including food delivery personnel, cab drivers, and package couriers.</p><p><br>The legislation will also establish a dedicated board and welfare fund for gig workers. All aggregators and platforms will be required to register with the board within 45 days of the Act's commencement, and the board will maintain and publish a register of all aggregators operating in the state on its web portal.</p><p>The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers' Social Security and Welfare Fund will draw from multiple sources, including welfare fees levied under the Act, worker contributions toward specific social security schemes, government grants, Corporate Social Responsibility funds, donations, and other prescribed sources.</p>