(a) whether the rate of growth of employment has decelerated including employment in rural areas during the last five years;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the annual compound growth rate of employment opportunities in the public sector is negative in almost all the States; and
(d) if so, the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)
(a) to (d): As per the results of Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by National Sample Survey Office, Ministry of Statistics and programme Implementation during 2017-2018 and annual employment-unemployment surveys conducted by Labour Bureau, Ministry of Labour and Employment, the estimated Worker Population Ratio on usual status (principal status+subsidiary status) basis for persons aged 15years and above is to the extent available given below:
Worker Population Ratio (in %)
Survey *Year Rural Urban All-India
2017-18 (PLFS) 48.1 43.9 46.8
Survey by Labour Bureau
2015-16 53.9 41.8 50.5
2013-14 57.1 45.5 53.7
2012-13 53.6 44.2 51.0
2011-12 56.3 45.8 53.6
(Note: *Survey methodology and sample selection are different in PLFS and Labour Bureau survey)
Employment generation coupled with improving employability is the priority concern of the Government. Government has taken various steps for generating employment in the country like encouraging private sector of economy, fast tracking various projects involving substantial investment and increasing public expenditure on various schemes such as Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pt.Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), Deendayal Antodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM).
Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY) has been launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment for incentivising employers for promoting employment generation. Under this scheme, Government is paying entire employer’s contribution (12% or as admissible) towards EPF and EPS for all eligible new employees for all sectors for 3 years. This scheme has a dual benefit, where, on the one hand, the employer is incentivised for increasing the employment base of workers in the establishment, and on the other hand, these workers will have access to social security benefits of the organised sector. The scheme aims to cover a large number of informal workers to the formal workforce.
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) has been initiated by Government inter alia for facilitating self-employment. Under PMMY collateral free loans upto Rs. 10 lakh, are extended to micro/small business enterprises and to individuals to enable them to setup or expand their business activities. Upto 31st March, 2019, 18.26 crore loans were sanctioned under the scheme.
Government has implemented the National Career Service (NCS) Project which comprises a digital portal that provides a nation-wide online platform for the job seekers and employers for job-matching in a dynamic, efficient and responsive manner and has a repository of career content to job seekers.
Start-up India is a flagship initiative of the Government of India, intended to build a strong ecosystem that is conducive for the growth of start-up businesses, to drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities.
Besides these initiatives, flagship programmes of the Government such as Make in India, Digital India, Swachh Bharat Mission, Smart City Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, Housing for All, Infrastructure development and Industrial corridors have the potential to generate productive employment opportunities. Ministries/ Departments/ States run skill development schemes across various sectors to improve the employability of youth and also facilitate placements. Schemes such as the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) wherein Government reimburses 25 percent of the stipend payable to apprentices also enhances employability of the youth to access employment.
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