Rahul Gandhi Joins Hyderabad Bike Rally to Launch Gig Workers Welfare Scheme

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi participated in a bike rally with gig workers in Hyderabad on Saturday and launched a new welfare scheme for them.

Scheme Details

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and other Congress leaders also took part in the event. Visuals showed Gandhi riding pillion on a scooty driven by a female gig worker, while Reddy rode behind another worker. The launch took place at the event for the Telangana Gig Workers' Social Security and Welfare Scheme. Gandhi stated that data is the key focus of the 21st century and pointed out that gig workers in India could not access their own data until now. The scheme stems from the Telangana Platform Based Gig Workers Act passed in March 2026. This law gives workers the right to view details of their work, completed rides, and earnings on their mobile phones.

Benefits and Rest Zones

The legislation states that aggregators can terminate workers only for valid reasons communicated in writing with a seven-day notice. Platforms must also make timely payments and keep work environments safe. Under the scheme, workers receive five lakh rupees in accident insurance and ten lakh rupees in health insurance. The state government will also build Wi-Fi-enabled rest zones across Hyderabad and other cities so drivers can park, rest, or sleep during long shifts under the sun. Gandhi noted this fulfills promises made during prior talks with workers, and he also criticized the BJP and RSS, accusing them of favoring big capitalists like Adani and Ambani while treating workers like bonded labourers.

Context

Gig work involves platform-based app-driven labor where individuals complete short-term tasks or deliveries rather than holding traditional fixed-salary jobs. State governments across India face increasing pressure to address the lack of social security benefits, fluctuating pay, and long working hours for delivery drivers and ride-hailing staff. Legislative frameworks like the one introduced in Telangana aim to bridge these gaps by setting rules for termination notices, insurance coverage, and basic workplace facilities.