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New Delhi: A video showing a Blinkit delivery partner earning just Rs 763 after completing 28 deliveries over nearly 15 hours has ignited a fresh debate on the realities faced by gig workers in India.
The issue drew the attention of Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, who had earlier flagged concerns in Parliament over low wages, long working hours and the absence of social security for platform-based workers. Reacting to the video, Chadha publicly voiced support for the delivery partner and reiterated the need for urgent policy intervention to safeguard gig workers’ rights.
After the Winter Session, Chadha invited the delivery partner to his residence for lunch, where the two held an informal yet candid conversation. During the interaction, the delivery partner spoke about extended workdays, unpredictable income, pressure from algorithm-driven targets and the lack of basic protections or effective grievance mechanisms.
The delivery partner later described the meeting as reassuring, saying he felt heard and treated with dignity. Chadha, for his part, said that the rapid expansion of India’s gig economy must not come at the expense of workers’ well-being, and promised to continue raising the matter at the policy level.
The interaction underscored a broader message: lasting reforms in the gig economy must begin with listening to those who experience its challenges firsthand.