(a) whether the employment generation opportunities in the agricultural sector in the country have dwindled in spite of the fact that India is predominantly an agriculture country;
(b) if so, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government have formulated any scheme for creating additional employment opportunities in the agricultural sector; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF LABOUR (SHRI SAHIB SINGH VERMA)
a) to d) A statement is laid on the table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 6 BY SHRI PADAM SEN CHOUDHRY & SHRI RAMPAL SINGH REGARDING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, FOR REPLY ON 18.11.2002.
Estimates of employment and unemployment are obtained through Labour Force Surveys conducted by National Sample Survey Organisation from time to time. Based on these surveys, estimated employment in the Agriculture sector which was of the order of 24.2 Crore in 1993-94 has marginally gone down to approximately 23.8 Crore in 1999-2000. Mechanization of agricultural operations, shift of under employed labour from agriculture to non-farm rural activities and migration to urban areas are some of the important reasons for this marginal decline.
The Group headed by Dr. S.P.Gupta, Member, Planning Commission for suggesting strategies and programmes in the Tenth Plan has gone into various aspects and has identified following areas for creating additional employment opportunities in the agriculture sector:
i) Additional area under cultivation to be brought under oil seeds and pulses.
ii) National watershed development programme for rain fed areas.
iii) Horticulture.
iv) On Farm Management.
v) Agriclinics and seed production.
(i) Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana consisting of two parts, viz, Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana and Employment Assurance Scheme.
(ii) Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana.
(iii) Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
(iv) Food for Work Programme.