Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday announced the launch of a special security scheme for gig workers in Hyderabad, saying the state has established a Gig Workers Board, introduced accident insurance coverage and enacted legislation aimed at protecting workers in the sector.
Reddy made the announcement at an event attended by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad. The Chief Minister said the Gig Workers Act would be enforced under the guidance of the Congress party’s national leadership and described the scheme as the fulfilment of a promise made during Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Telangana.
According to the statement reported by Deccan Chronicle, the state government has already set up the Gig Workers Board. The government is also providing insurance to gig workers, although the report does not specify the number of workers covered, the value of the accident cover or the detailed operating rules for the board.
Reddy said the Telangana government had enhanced the coverage limit under Aarogyasri, the state health scheme, to Rs. 10 lakh. The report linked the expanded health coverage to the government’s measures for gig workers, but did not provide details on eligibility, enrolment procedures or whether the enhanced limit applies uniformly to all workers registered under the new security scheme.
The announcement places platform-based workers within a formal state policy framework at a time when delivery riders, drivers and other gig workers have become an increasingly visible part of urban services. Their work supports food delivery, e-commerce, passenger transport and other daily activities, while much of the workforce operates outside conventional employer-employee arrangements.
Reddy said gig workers had raised their concerns and professional challenges with Gandhi during his visit to Hyderabad. The Chief Minister described the legislation as providing protection “in every aspect” to the entire gig-worker community and assured workers that the state government would stand by them.
The report did not include the text of the Gig Workers Act, the notification establishing the board, details of the proposed funding mechanism or information on how insurance claims will be processed. It also did not specify the government departments responsible for implementing the scheme or the timeline for issuing operational guidelines.
The next stage will depend on how the legislation, board and insurance provision are translated into registration, benefit delivery and grievance redressal for workers across Telangana. The state government’s implementation details will determine the practical reach of the scheme beyond Saturday’s launch.
