Question : INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT

(a) whether the Government is aware of the increase in unemployment both in the rural and urban areas of the country including Chhattisgarh and Bihar;

(b) if so, the total number of registered unemployed persons in the country at present along with the detailed percentage of increase during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT wise;

(c) the various programmes and schemes being implemented by the Government towards employment generation, programme-wise and State/UT-wise;

(d) the details of funds allocated and utilised for such programmes during the said period, programme-wise and State/UT-wise; and

(e) the extent to which these programmes have impacted employment generation in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

(SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

(a) & (b): Reliable estimates of employment and unemployment are obtained through labour force surveys conducted by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. Last such survey was conducted during 2011-12. As per results of the two most recent surveys, State-wise details of unemployment rates on usual status basis in rural and urban areas are given at Annex-I.

(c) to (e): To address the unemployment issue, the Government runs various public employment generation schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Swarna Jayanti Shahri Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY), National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), and Prime Minister`s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). Details are at Annex –II. In addition, the government is promoting labour- intensive manufacturing and increasing employment opportunities by promoting tourism and agro-based industries. The 12th Five Year Plan projects 5 crore new work opportunities to be generated in the non-farm sector and skill certification to equivalent numbers. National Skill Development Agency has been set up to coordinate action among Central Ministries and around 75 lakh persons have been skilled in 2013-14 to enhance their employa- bility the Apprentices Act, 1961 has been amended to provide more opportunities for youth and to engage more number of apprentices by industry.