Platform workers associated with companies such as Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Ola, Uber, and Urban Company can now enrol in the National Pension System (NPS) to build a retirement corpus, with contributions starting from as little as ₹99, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) announced on Wednesday, 12 August. The move extends formal retirement savings access to millions of gig economy workers who have historically operated outside the social security net.

What PFRDA Announced

The PFRDA highlighted the initiative through a post on social media platform X, underscoring the flexibility built into the framework. 'Your work may depend on your next booking, but your retirement shouldn't,' the regulator said. It added: 'With NPS for Platform Workers, you can start with just ₹99 and contribute at your own pace with no minimum and no maximum contribution limit.'

The NPS e-Shramik Model Explained

The NPS e-Shramik (Platform Service Partner) Model was introduced by PFRDA through a circular dated 29 October 2025, specifically designed to bring gig and platform workers under the NPS umbrella. The model covers individuals who provide services through digital platforms under a service contract.

Under the framework, contributions can be made jointly by the platform and the worker, by the worker alone, or entirely by the platform or aggregator on behalf of the worker. While PFRDA has not prescribed any fixed contribution floor or ceiling, the worker and platform can mutually agree on a minimum amount per contribution cycle.

How Enrolment Works

The model is broadly aligned with the existing NPS Corporate Model but has been structured specifically for platform workers. Notably, platform aggregators are not required to register separately with PFRDA. Instead, Points of Presence (PoPs) — entities that facilitate NPS account opening and related services — can enter into arrangements with aggregators to enrol their workers directly.

Onboarding follows a two-stage process. In the first stage, the worker's KYC details — including name, address, PAN, mobile number, and bank account information — are collected. KYC can be completed through Aadhaar-based e-KYC or any other method permitted by PFRDA. Once the worker provides consent, a Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) is generated. At the initial stage, the platform can select the investment scheme and pension fund on the worker's behalf, though the worker retains the option to change these choices after account opening.

Why This Matters for Gig Workers

India's gig economy is estimated to employ tens of millions of workers, most of whom lack access to employer-linked retirement benefits such as the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF). The NPS e-Shramik model is the first structured regulatory attempt to bridge this gap at scale. This comes amid growing policy attention on gig worker welfare, with several states also considering legislation on minimum earnings and social security for platform workers.

With the framework now operational, the next critical step will be how aggressively platform companies and PoPs drive actual enrolments — since the model is voluntary and awareness among gig workers remains nascent.