New Delhi, August 12, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Gig and platform workers associated with companies such as Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Ola, Uber and Urban Company can now build retirement savings through the National Pension System (NPS), with contributions starting at Rs 99.
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), in a post on X, said the NPS framework for platform workers allows them to contribute according to their financial capacity, without any regulatory minimum or maximum contribution limit.
“Your work may depend on your next booking, but your retirement shouldn’t,” the pension regulator said.
The NPS e-shramik (Platform Service Partner) Model was introduced by PFRDA through a circular dated October 29, 2025, specifically to bring gig and platform workers within the NPS framework. It covers individuals providing services to customers through digital platforms under service contracts.
Contributions under the model can be made jointly by the platform and worker, entirely by the worker, or by the platform or aggregator on the worker’s behalf. While PFRDA has not prescribed minimum or maximum contribution limits, workers and platforms can mutually decide a minimum amount for individual contributions.
The framework broadly follows the NPS Corporate Model but has been adapted for platform workers. Aggregators do not have to register separately with PFRDA. Instead, Points of Presence (PoPs), which facilitate NPS account opening and related services, can enter into arrangements with aggregators to enrol their workers.
The onboarding process begins with collection of the worker’s KYC details, including name, address, PAN, mobile number and bank account information. KYC can be completed through Aadhaar-based e-KYC or another method approved 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 for the worker, although the worker can subsequently change these choices after the NPS account is opened.
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