Gig workers may soon get pension benefits via EPFO

New Delhi: The ministry of labour and employment will soon firm up a policy to give pension benefits to gig and platform workers through the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation, sources said on Thursday.

This will be over and above the health cover to gig and platform workers under the PM Jan Aarogya Yojana announced by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman as part of the budget 2025-26 proposals.

According to an official, the pension component of the social security will be transaction based and fully funded by the aggregator, and would serve as a retirement kitty for gig workers. The ministry will seek cabinet's approval on the policy.


"Gig workers of online platforms provide great dynamism to the new-age services economy. Recognising their contribution, our government will arrange for their identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal," the FM had said. NITI Aayog pegs India's gig workforce at 23.5 million by 2029-30

Sources said the labour ministry is working on a mechanism to deduct social security contributions as a percentage by the online platforms like Ola, Uber on the income of these workers on every transaction.