Hyderabad: Telangana Assembly on Monday passed Platform-Based Gig Workers (registration, social security and welfare) Bill, 2026 and Advocate Protection Bill, 2026 by a voice vote.
The bill aims to bring app-based delivery, mobility and service workers under a welfare and social security framework, Labour Minister G Vivek Venkataswamy said.
Establishment of welfare board:
Under the provisions of the bill, it is mandatory to create a dedicated Social Security and Welfare board to oversee benefits and register workers. Each gig worker will be assigned a unique ID, ensuring better tracking of benefits and transparency.
Penalties will be levied on aggregate platforms if gig workers are not protected, the minister said. Aggregators are required to contribute 1 to 2 percent of their transaction value to the welfare fund, to cover insurance, accident cover, pensions and maternity benefit costs.
Aggregators to be penalized for non-compliance:
A structural grievance redressal mechanism will also be put in place, empowering district officials, platform-level committees to solve disputes.
Aggregators will be required to submit operational data and will be penalised for non-compliance, the bill says.
The Assembly also passed a bill to protect advocates/lawyers, amid increasing attacks against them. The legislation provides police protection for advocates, safeguards against harassment and false cases.