(a) whether deteriorating employment position during the years 2001 and 2002 has led to an increase in the number of the persons eking out a living with low income;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the measures taken by the Government to ameliorate the condition of the persons belonging to low income groups?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR (SHRI VIJAY GOEL)
(a) & (b): As per the estimates available from quinquennial labour force surveys carried out by National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), estimated employment has gone up from approximately 374 million in 1993-94 to 397 million million in 1999-2000 (latest available) and the proportion of persons living below poverty line has gone down from 36.0% in 1993-94 to 26.1% in 1999-2000.
(c): Government is implementing special programmes for eradication of poverty and generation of employment. These include Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SJGSY), Jawahar Gram Smriddhi Yojana (JGSY), Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) and Food for work programme. Prime Minister`s Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) is also being implemented to provide employment opportunities to educated unemployed youth.