Gig Workers' Income Crisis: 40% Earn Below ₹15,000 Monthly, Reveals Economic Survey

• The Economic Survey 2025-26 reveals that 40% of gig workers earn less than ₹15,000 per month, highlighting income instability.
• The number of gig workers surged by 55% from 7.7 million in FY2021 to 12 million in FY2025, driven by smartphone use and digital payments.
• The gig sector now comprises over 2% of India's total workforce and is projected to reach 6.7% by FY2029-30, contributing ₹2.35 trillion to GDP.
• E-commerce leads with 3.7 million gig workers, followed by logistics (1.5 million) and BFSI (1 million).
• Challenges include income volatility, difficulty in securing loans, and concerns about algorithmic bias; solutions propose minimum earnings and payment for waiting time.

Why It Matters: Economic Survey highlights income instability for 40% of gig workers, earning less than ₹15,000 monthly.