India’s pension regulator has launched a new, flexible retirement savings route for gig and platform workers, allowing contributions as low as ₹99 to the National Pension System, aiming to expand social security for the informal economy.
India’s pension regulator has opened a new route into retirement savings for gig and platform workers, allowing delivery riders, drivers and other freelancers tied to apps such as Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Urban Company and Ola to join the National Pension System with contributions starting at ₹99. According to the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority, the NPS e-shramik model is designed to make long-term saving easier for workers whose incomes can change from week to week and whose access to formal social security has often been limited.
The framework, introduced in a circular dated October 29, 2025, works in a similar way to Corporate NPS but with more flexibility. Contributions can be made by the worker, the platform aggregator or both, and there is no fixed upper or lower limit, although the ₹99 entry point is intended to make participation more practical for low-paid workers. The scheme is also meant to link digital platform labour more directly with retirement security rather than leaving savings entirely to individual choice.
Onboarding is intended to be simple. Workers’ details are verified through Aadhaar-based e-KYC, after which a Permanent Retirement Account Number is created with consent. The regulator has also said platforms do not need to register separately with it; instead, Points of Presence can sign agreements with aggregators and handle compliance for the accounts they open. The model also includes portability and exit options, which could matter for workers who move between apps or cities.
The new pension route sits alongside a wider push by the Indian government to formalise protections for gig workers. Recent reporting has said aggregators may face a 12% annual interest charge if they miss social security contributions, while labour ministry rules require platforms to upload worker details to a central portal within 45 days. Other measures have set out obligations for aggregators to contribute a share of turnover towards welfare, reflecting a broader effort to extend healthcare, accident cover, maternity support and old-age protection to the platform economy.
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