Government Mulls 2-3% Contribution From Aggregators For Gig Workers' Pension, Say Sources
All aggregators, including the likes of Swiggy, Zomato Ltd and Uber, will be required to contribute to pension for their gig workers if the social security measure is mandated.
Aggregators like Swiggy and Zomato could contribute 2-3% of a gig workers' earnings as pension, as the government aims to bridge the social security gap between formal and informal workers, according persons in the know.
A new model to divide the contribution between Employee Provident Fund Organisation and Employees State Insurance Corporation is also in the works, and this might see implementation in May or June this year, the sources added.
About 10 lakh gig workers have already registered on e-Shram portal after the government nudged aggregators to do so and more are expected soon.
The measures, which are still in the works, are aimed at providing social security to gig workers. For example, if a rider on Zomato earns Rs 40 for a delivery, 2% of that, which is 80 paise, can be sent to the riders' pension fund as employer contribution.
An official confirmation on these developments was not issued yet.
Notably, the government has been focussing on social security for gig workers. This year's Economic Survey recognised India's gig workforce, which is slated to reach 23.5 crore by 2030.
In the Union Budget 2025 announced on Feb. 1, the government announced a social security scheme for gig workers, under which, gig workers will be given unique identity cards, registered on the e-Shram portal, and given access to healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojana.
