Gig Economy

'Moving beyond 10-minute race': Zepto launches Pay Later facility

Quick commerce platform Zepto on Tuesday introduced a suite of new in-app features, including a 'Pay Later' facility and real-time images of fresh produce, as it shifts its strategic focus from delivery speed to "behaviour-led commerce." The company stated that the quick commerce sector is moving beyond the "race to the fastest 10 minutes" to focus on reducing everyday shopping friction and serving customers more intelligently. The newly rolled-out 'Pay Later' feature offers a 15-day, interest-free repayment cycle embedded directly within the app. Designed for high-frequency, low-value orders, the facility allows for a one-tap checkout without One-Time Passwords (OTPs) or third-party redirects. According to the product interface shared by the company, the service provides instant credit of up to Rs 10,000. "Meet Zepto Pay Later, a BNPL experience built completely inside the Zepto app. Shopping is now going to be smoother than ever. It's already live for a small percentage, and we p

Amazon India workers' union calls for better wages amid LPG curbs

Amazon India workers' union seeks wage hike and incentives as LPG shortages and rising living costs strain warehouse workers amid West Asia disruptions

Panel calls for Centre-state board to oversee rollout of four labour codes

Parliament panel urges a Centre-State board to fast-track labour codes and calls for stronger social security for gig workers and streamlined skilling schemes

Centre drafting insurance scheme for gig workers with life, accident cover

The labour ministry is drafting a social security scheme offering insurance and possible pension cover for gig workers under the Code on Social Security

Gig workers report drop in orders on Zomato, Swiggy amid LPG shortage

West Asia crisis: Cooking gas crunch puts food delivery orders on slow boil

IAMAI raises concerns over double welfare contributions for gig workers

Industry body says overlap between Karnataka's gig worker law and the Code on Social Security could lead to duplicative welfare contributions by platform companies

Gig workers warn LPG, CNG shortage may hit Ola, Uber, Rapido rides

Drivers linked to Ola, Uber and Rapido warn LPG and CNG shortages could hurt earnings as long queues at fuel stations and rising costs threaten ride availability

Snabbit rolls out Kavach, a safety system for women home-service workers

Snabbit has launched Kavach, a platform-embedded safety system that proactively monitors risk and triggers escalation during home-service jobs, strengthening protection for women workers

Bharat Taxi will not let drivers earn below base rate: Amit Shah

Union Cooperation Amit Shah on Monday said the newly launched cooperative cab service Bharat Taxi will guarantee a minimum base rate per kilometre for all drivers on its platform, asserting that existing ride-hailing aggregators had deliberately avoided setting such a floor to maximise corporate profits at the expense of workers. Addressing a town hall interaction with cab and auto drivers from Delhi-NCR and Gujarat, Shah said the cooperative ride-hailing platform would return 80 per cent of profits to drivers based on kilometres driven, with the remaining 20 per cent retained as cooperative capital. "I asked all three companies whether they had set a minimum base rate for their drivers. They said no," Shah told the gathering during the 40-minute interaction. "We will not do this. Whatever business you do, your minimum should be fixed. And whatever is more than that has to come back to you." AMUL MODEL --------------- Shah drew repeated parallels between Bharat Taxi and the Amul

Bharat Taxi's cooperative promise meets India's tough mobility market

Bharat Taxi's cooperative, zero-commission model challenges ride-hailing incumbents, but its long-term viability and regulatory neutrality will be key to fair competition

Gig workers find their voice: Push grows for welfare and protections

Back-to-back service sector strikes underline rising worker assertion in the gig economy and test whether new labour reforms can deliver real security

Gig hiring likely to surge in 2026 as qcom, ecom expand beyond metros

E-commerce and quick commerce platforms are set to add nearly a million gig workers in 2026, driven by last-mile delivery demand and rapid expansion of dark stores in non-metro cities

Uber, Rapido, Ola, and Porter drivers plan nationwide strike on Saturday

Some of the drivers' demands include government-notified minimum base fares for ride-hailing platforms, decided in consultation with drivers

Some of our gig workers make more than fresher IT engineers: Urban Company

Gig workers associated with Urban Company are earning at par and, in several cases, much higher than entry-level salaried professionals employed in the country's IT and ITeS sectors, the doorstep home and personal care services firm said on Wednesday. Urban Company claimed that the average monthly net in-hand earning of all active service professional partners on Urban Company platform has increased about 7 per cent to Rs 28,322. "Urban Company service professionals earn at par, and in several cases much higher than entry-level salaried professionals employed in India's IT and ITeS sectors. With average net monthly earnings of Rs 28,322, Urban Company service professionals' earnings are comparable to typical IT fresher salaries," the company said in a statement based on nine month data of current fiscal year. Urban Company said the findings are based on publicly available industry data, including Glassdoor estimates, assuming that entry-level IT and ITeS salary benchmarks are at Rs

Eco Survey: Need for a policy to enable stable, better pay for gig workers

The Economic Survey calls for State support to raise gig workers' pay, curb platform dominance, and ensure stable incomes, with 40% earning under ₹15,000 a month

The warehouse next door: Land-use reforms and the 10-minute debate

Indian land-use regulations classify dark stores as warehouses and apply highway-side warehouse rules to local, small-scale urban infrastructure

Republic Day boost: Ecom, qcom firms witness up to 25% uptick in sales

Ecom and qcom platforms clock up to 25% YoY sales growth as Republic Day deals, flash discounts and festive offers drive demand across metros and Tier-II+ cities

Gig union representatives meet Delhi CM, propose bill for workers

The demands include the formation of a dedicated Gig Workers Board to ensure improved working conditions and social security

Nazara Tech CEO, others invest ₹12.25 crore in EV firm Hala Mobility

The company, which offers a wide range of electric vehicle (EV) options to rent, lease or buy, plans to use the funding to accelerate its growth plans

Dropping '10-minute' branding was a suggestion in good faith: Zepto CEO

Zepto founder Aadit Palicha said the labour minister's suggestion to remove "10-minute" delivery branding was made in good faith, as quick commerce platforms work with the government on gig worker wel