In a post on X on August 12, PFRDA said platform workers can contribute at their own pace, with no prescribed minimum or maximum contribution limit.
Your work may depend on your next booking, but your retirement shouldn’t.
With NPS for Platform Workers, you can start with just ₹99 and contribute at your own pace with no minimum and no maximum contribution limit.
Build your retirement corpus today, one contribution at a… pic.twitter.com/GzyQln8MQ3
— PFRDA (@PFRDAOfficial) August 12, 2026
The framework, introduced in October 2025 as the NPS e-shramik (Platform Service Partner) Model, covers gig workers and other individuals providing services through digital platforms.
How the model works
The contribution structure follows the NPS Corporate Model. Contributions can be made:
- jointly by the platform aggregator and worker;
- entirely by the worker; or
- entirely by the platform aggregator.
While PFRDA has not prescribed a minimum contribution, platforms or workers can set a minimum amount for each transaction. The regulator cited ₹99 per contribution as an example.
The framework covers platform aggregators such as food delivery, mobility, quick-commerce and home-service platforms. PFRDA’s October 2025 circular cited Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Ola, Uber and Urban Company as examples.
Onboarding and PRAN
Platform workers are onboarded through Points of Presence (PoPs) linked to platform aggregators.
The first stage requires basic KYC details, including name, address, PAN, mobile number and bank account details. KYC can be completed through Aadhaar-based e-KYC or other permitted modes.
A Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) can be generated with the worker’s consent.
Additional information, including parental details, email ID and nominee details, has to be completed subsequently. Nominee details must be recorded within 60 days of onboarding.Portability and charges
A worker can have an NPS account opened through one platform aggregator but can later shift or port the account to another aggregator.
PoPs cannot charge an onboarding fee under the framework while the applicable incentive arrangement is in place. Other contribution-related charges will follow PFRDA’s prevailing rules.
PFRDA had also provided eligible PoPs an incentive of up to ₹100 per new account, subject to conditions including the account remaining active for at least one year and receiving an initial contribution. The incentive framework covered registrations up to March 31, 2026, with a review thereafter.
Exit and withdrawal
Platform workers are subject to the NPS All Citizen Model’s exit and withdrawal rules.
The ₹99 amount highlighted by PFRDA is therefore an example of a possible contribution, rather than a regulator-mandated minimum. The framework allows workers and platforms to decide the contribution structure while providing a route for platform workers to build retirement savings through NPS.
