Question : DECLINE IN EMPLOYMENT IN ORGANISED MANUFACTURING SECTOR

(a) whether the employment growth in the country has not been at par with the growth in the economy during the last decade;

(b) if so, the details and reasons therefor alongwith the remedial steps taken by the Government in this regard indicating the employment generated during each of the last three years as a result of economic reforms;

(c) whether the employment opportunities in organised manufacturing sector has been declining during the last three years; and

(d) if so, the details thereof alongwith the steps taken by the Government to create more jobs in organised manufacturing sector?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI OSCAR FERNANDES)

(a & b) Reliable estimates of employment and unemployment are obtained through quinquennial Labour Force Surveys carried out by National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO).The Survey reports for the years 1993-94 and 2004-05 indicate that work force which was 374 million in 1993-94 increased to 459 million in 2004-2005, an increase of around 85 million which works out to 8.5 million per annum during the period.Government has been attempting employment generation through normal growth process of the economy as well as through special employment generation programmes, in rural and urban areas, such as Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY); Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY); Swarna Jayanti Shahri Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY); Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY); Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Yojana (PMRY); National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP) etc.

(c & d) During the last three years, employment in organised manufacturing sector has declined from 60.04 lakh in 2003 to 56.19 lakh in 2005.The Approach Paper to Eleventh Five Year Plan envisages creation of 70 million job opportunities during the 11th Five Year Plan for the economy as a whole which will include creation of jobs in organised manufacturing sector also in addition to employment generation through normal growth process of the economy.