Pension For Gig Workers: Government May Ask Swiggy, Zomato, Uber To Pay 2% Of Earnings

The government is reportedly working on a pension plan intended to offer better social and financial security to India’s gig workers. Under the scheme, e-commerce aggregators like Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit and Uber would be required to contribute 2% of employees’ earnings to their pension funds. 

According to a Business Standard report, the proposed scheme mandates that platform aggregators deduct 2% of a gig worker’s earnings per transaction and deposit the amount into an account managed by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). 

This contribution will be in addition to the worker's regular income and will not be deducted from their wages.

The initiative is expected to be formally introduced within the next two to three weeks. This is pending final discussions among key stakeholders, including government officials, labour unions and representatives from gig economy platforms.

The government aims to improve the welfare of gig workers, who form a significant part of India's evolving workforce. The 2025 Union Budget, presented on Feb. 1, included provisions for a social security scheme tailored for gig workers. The Economic Survey 2024 also highlighted the growth of India’s gig economy, predicting that the number of gig workers will rise to 235 million by 2030.

As part of this initiative, gig workers will receive unique identity cards and will be required to register on the e-Shram portal to be eligible for benefits, including health coverage under the PM Jan Arogya Yojana.

Once their information is verified, the workers will receive a Universal Account Number (UAN) from EPFO, allowing them to access their pension contributions.

A source cited by the news outlet explained how the scheme might function in practice. For example, if a gig worker earns Rs 15 per transaction on a quick-commerce platform, the employer would contribute 2% of that amount, which is equivalent to 30 paise, into the worker’s EPFO-linked UAN account.