Labour Ministry, Zomato Partner to Offer 2.5 Lakh Flexible Jobs via NCS Portal

Welcoming the partnership, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya hailed the collaboration as a path-breaking move in integrating India’s platform economy with the formal employment system.

In a major step towards expanding technology-enabled employment opportunities and formalizing India’s gig economy, the Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoLE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zomato, one of India’s leading food delivery and technology platforms.

The collaboration aims to enhance access to flexible, technology-driven livelihoods through the National Career Service (NCS) platform — the government’s flagship digital portal for employment and career services.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Ms. Shobha Karandlaje, and Secretary, MoLE, Ms. Vandana Gurnani, at a formal ceremony held in New Delhi.

Empowering Gig and Platform Workers Through Formal Linkages

Welcoming the partnership, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya hailed the collaboration as a path-breaking move in integrating India’s platform economy with the formal employment system. He said the MoU would help bridge the gap between traditional jobseekers and emerging digital livelihood avenues while supporting millions of youth and women workers across the country.

“The partnership between the Ministry of Labour & Employment and Zomato marks a new chapter in formalizing the gig economy and expanding access to dignified, technology-enabled work,” Dr. Mandaviya stated. “By leveraging the NCS platform, we are creating a more inclusive employment ecosystem that connects young Indians to real-time income opportunities and career growth.”

Zomato to List 2.5 Lakh Flexible Opportunities Annually

Under the agreement, Zomato will operate under the new ‘Aggregator’ category on the NCS portal, listing approximately 2.5 lakh flexible livelihood opportunities every year. These roles will primarily cater to delivery partners and gig workers, providing structured access to earning avenues through a government-backed employment platform.

This integration will also enable gig workers to benefit from government initiatives, including social security, insurance, and skilling programmes, thus improving their economic stability and career progression prospects.

NCS: A Digital Bridge Between Jobseekers and Employers

Launched in 2015, the National Career Service (NCS) portal has evolved into one of India’s largest online employment ecosystems. It connects jobseekers, employers, skill providers, and career counsellors on a single digital platform.

As of 2025, the NCS has mobilised over 7.7 crore job vacancies and facilitated millions of employment linkages. The portal supports both blue-collar and white-collar employment, and serves as a major instrument for India’s workforce transition in a rapidly digitizing economy.

Dr. Mandaviya noted that “NCS has emerged as a trusted gateway to employment for citizens across India and abroad. Partnerships with technology-driven companies like Zomato will expand the scope of NCS, ensuring that youth have access to flexible, dignified, and sustainable work opportunities.”

A Broader Push for Inclusive Employment

Ms. Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State for Labour & Employment, emphasized that the MoU reinforces the government’s broader vision under Viksit Bharat 2047 — to provide inclusive, secure, and sustainable livelihoods for all workers.

“This collaboration supports the objectives of the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY), which seeks to formalize employment and ensure that every worker — whether in the organized or unorganized sector — has access to social protection,” she said.

She urged all industry stakeholders and digital platforms to partner actively with the government in building a future-ready workforce and promoting job security for gig and platform workers. “Every worker in India deserves not only employment but also dignity, protection, and stability,” she added.

Social Security and Recognition for Gig Workers

In her remarks, Secretary Vandana Gurnani highlighted that the collaboration aligns with the Ministry’s commitment to expand social security and financial inclusion among India’s diverse workforce.

She announced that new career and livelihood opportunities will be launched on the NCS portal around Diwali, providing a “timely boost to jobseekers and employers alike.”

Ms. Gurnani also noted India’s significant progress in social security coverage, with recognition from the International Social Security Association (ISSA) earlier this year. “Social security coverage in India has risen from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025, now reaching over 94 crore citizens,” she said. “Our goal is to ensure that gig and platform workers are also included in this social protection framework.”

She expressed optimism that partnerships with leading platforms like Zomato would help extend insurance, provident fund, and welfare benefits to the millions of gig workers who form the backbone of India’s digital economy.

A Growing Ecosystem of Collaboration

The collaboration with Zomato follows a series of similar partnerships the Ministry has forged in the past year. MoLE has signed 14 MoUs with major private and public organisations, including Amazon, Swiggy, Zepto, Rapido, Apna.co, HireMee, TeamLease, Mentor Together, and FoundIT, among others.

Together, these collaborations have collectively generated over five lakh employment opportunities through the NCS platform. The Ministry aims to expand these partnerships further, ensuring that digital employment opportunities are accessible to citizens in all parts of India, including tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

Dr. Mandaviya said, “These partnerships reflect our government’s belief that public-private collaboration is key to solving India’s employment challenges. By integrating digital platforms with the NCS, we are ensuring that the growth of the platform economy benefits everyone — from delivery professionals to technology graduates.”

Formalizing India’s Gig Economy

India’s gig and platform workforce is among the fastest-growing in the world, estimated at nearly 8 million workers in 2025 and projected to reach 24 million by 2030, according to NITI Aayog. Despite its rapid growth, the sector has faced challenges related to income security, benefits, and job recognition.

The MoLE-Zomato partnership is therefore seen as a strategic move to bridge policy and practice, integrating gig workers into formal labour frameworks while promoting skill development, safety, and social benefits.

Through the NCS portal, gig workers will now be able to register, access verified job listings, and connect directly with employers, helping bring transparency and reliability to the sector.

Toward a Future of Inclusive Growth

The signing of the MoU underscores the government’s broader mission of building an inclusive, digitally enabled, and employment-rich India, in line with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

By harnessing technology, partnerships, and innovation, the Ministry of Labour & Employment aims to create dignified work opportunities for all, strengthen the connection between workers and employers, and make India a global model for inclusive economic growth.

“Together, government, industry, and citizens can build a future where every worker — from coders to couriers — participates in and benefits from India’s growth story,” Dr. Mandaviya concluded.