India to include platform workers in PLFS from January 2027
Starting January 2027, India will revamp its labor surveys to finally count digital platform workers: think folks driving for ride-hailing apps or delivering food.
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation says a new category in the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) will help track these jobs more accurately as India's gig economy is expected to grow.
Survey will map India's platform workers
The survey will now ask households if anyone works through digital platforms, covering both cities and villages.
This should give a clearer picture of where platform workers are across India and improve coverage of people who earn through digital platforms.
Maharashtra currently leads in platform worker registrations on the e-Shram portal, with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar following behind.
Also, quick heads-up: "gig workers" usually work independently, while "platform workers" find gigs via apps, so this update is all about keeping up with how work is changing.