Swiggy To Hire Gig Workers From Labour Ministry’s Portal

Foodtech major Swiggy has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the labour & employment ministry to list gig job roles on the government’s National Career Service (NCS) portal.

“Under this MoU, Swiggy will integrate its gig opportunities—including delivery, logistics, and support roles—onto the NCS portal. This real-time integration will enhance visibility of gig jobs for NCS users, who will benefit from timely and verified work opportunities across urban and semi-urban areas,” the ministry said in a statement.

Through the collaboration with the foodtech giant, the government expects to mobilise 12 Lakh job opportunities for gig workers in the next 2-3 years. 

Here’s are the key contours of the agreement: 

• Swiggy will post gig and delivery job opportunities on the portal and onboard new riders through it.
• The foodtech major will leverage API-based integration to ensure real-time job postings and seamless application tracking for applicants.
• The pact will also support structured onboarding, digital empowerment, and awareness of worker welfare schemes that the government has dedicated to gig workers.
• The move will promote employment opportunities for youth, women, and those seeking flexible work.

The ministry said that the MoU is part of its larger push to make NCS a one-stop solution for employment, skilling, and counselling, and hyperlocal job matching. 

“With over 1.25 Cr active job seekers and 40 Lakh registered employers as of January 31, 2025, it (NCS) is playing a crucial role in workforce mobilisation. This partnership with Swiggy will further extend the portal’s reach into the fast-growing gig and platform economy, enabling access to flexible and location-based opportunities for millions of youth,” said labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya. 

Prior to this, the ministry inked a similar agreement with talent hiring platform Apna in February 2025 to boost startup-centric employment. 

The Gig Worker Debate

The Centre’s bid to promote the gig economy comes at a time when the topic is being hotly debated in the Indian startup ecosystem. Earlier this month, commerce minister Piyush Goyal’s comments stirred up a storm after he said that food delivery companies like Zomato or Swiggy are turning unemployed youth into cheap labour.

“Food delivery apps are turning jobless youth into cheap labour so the rich can eat without leaving home,” the minister said in his speech at the ‘Startup Mahakumbh’ earlier this month. 

Many players from the ecosystem have since highlighted the employment opportunities that they are creating through consumer-facing ventures. For instance, Zepto’s Aadit Palicha said that the quick commerce unicorn employs 1.5 Lakh people. 

Nevertheless, India’s gig economy continues to be one of the most rapidly growing sectors in the country. According to a white paper by the Forum for Progressive Gig Workers, released in September 2024, India’s gig economy could contribute as much as 1.25% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by FY30 and create 90 Mn jobs in the long term.

To formalise this gig economy, the central government has been actively promoting the e-Shram portal and urging app-based aggregators to get their gig workers registered on the platform. 

Besides, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget 2025 speech announced that the government will provide identity cards to gig workers. The initiative, which is expected to benefit nearly 1 Cr gig workers, will enhance social security.