Ministry of Labour & Employment partners with Zomato to strengthen gig economy via NCS portal

Introduction:

In a pioneering initiative to strengthen India’s gig economy, the Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoLE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zomato on October 14, 2025, aimed at integrating gig and platform-based work opportunities into the National Career Service (NCS) portal. This collaboration is a major step toward providing structured, technology-enabled, and flexible livelihoods to youth, women, and other job seekers, bridging the gap between informal gig roles and formal employment systems.

Details:

Under this partnership, Zomato will now list approximately 2.5 lakh flexible livelihood opportunities annually on the NCS portal under a newly created ‘Aggregator’ category. This move ensures that gig workers, especially delivery partners, have transparent access to real-time income avenues while being formally recognized within the national employment ecosystem. The initiative also reflects the government’s push to formalize gig work, giving workers both visibility and access to social security benefits.

Union Minister for Labour & Employment highlighted the significance of this collaboration, noting that integrating platform economy roles into the NCS portal represents a key step in connecting job seekers to dignified, technology-enabled livelihoods. Since its launch in 2015, the NCS portal has mobilized over 7.7 crore vacancies, serving as a vital bridge between employers and workers. The addition of gig roles further broadens its scope, providing workers with flexible opportunities while ensuring they remain part of the formal economy.

The Minister of State for Labour & Employment emphasized the importance of extending social protection to every organized and unorganized worker, noting that this partnership complements initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY) and aligns with the government’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. By formally recognizing gig workers, the initiative ensures they can access welfare schemes, grievance redressal mechanisms, and a structured system of accountability, thereby strengthening social security for a rapidly growing workforce.