- The Indian government is planning to modify its flagship labour surveys, such as the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), to better capture emerging employment structures like the gig and platform economy. - The revision aims to account for unpaid household work, addressing statistical invisibility of women and domestic workers within traditional GDP and employment metrics. - Capturing gig and platform workers accurately is critical for extending social security benefits and policy interventions as envisioned under modern labour reforms. - Refining employment methodology helps tackle structural issues of underemployment and unmeasured economic contributions. - **Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS):** A nationwide survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) under MoSPI to estimate key employment and unemployment indicators in India, slated for modifications to capture the gig economy and unpaid household work. - **Gig Economy:** A labor market segment comprising workers engaged in flexible, task-based, or digital platform-based jobs outside traditional employer-employee relationships, requiring updated survey methodologies to measure accurately. - **Unpaid Household Workers:** Non-remunerated domestic duties and caregiving tasks—such as cooking, cleaning, and family care—predominantly performed by women, which remain uncounted in traditional GDP and employment metrics. **Introduction** The Indian government is updating its labour surveys to accurately measure the evolving gig economy and the massive contribution of unpaid household workers. This policy shift addresses critical gaps in employment measurement, ensuring better data for policy-making, social security extension, and women's economic empowerment. **Core Issue and Detailed Points** - The Indian government is planning to modify its flagship labour surveys, such as the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), to better capture emerging employment structures like the gig and platform economy. - The revision aims to account for unpaid household work, addressing statistical invisibility of women and domestic workers within traditional GDP and employment metrics. - Capturing gig and platform workers accurately is critical for extending social security benefits and policy interventions as envisioned under modern labour reforms. - Refining employment methodology helps tackle structural issues of underemployment and unmeasured economic contributions. **Key Statutory Bodies, Acts & Concepts** - **Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS):** A nationwide survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) under MoSPI to estimate key employment and unemployment indicators in India, slated for modifications to capture the gig economy and unpaid household work. - **Gig Economy:** A labor market segment comprising workers engaged in flexible, task-based, or digital platform-based jobs outside traditional employer-employee relationships, requiring updated survey methodologies to measure accurately. - **Unpaid Household Workers:** Non-remunerated domestic duties and caregiving tasks—such as cooking, cleaning, and family care—predominantly performed by women, which remain uncounted in traditional GDP and employment metrics.