Lok Sabha Question No. 3991 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-27
Subject: Automation Impact on Jobs
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: NATUBHAI GOMANBHAI PATEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3991 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27 TH    MARCH, 2017

## AUTOMATION IMPACT ON JOBS

## 3991.   SHRI NATUBHAI GOMANBHAI PATEL:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  process  of  employing  robots  to  dispose  of  office  works  has been commenced in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  thousands  of  employees  are  likely  to  be  rendered  jobless  as  a result thereof;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (d) whether the Government is contemplating any scheme for such employees; and
- (e) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  reasons  therefor  along  with  other steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

- (a)  to  (e):  According  to  the  World  Development  Report  (WDR)  2016    of  World Bank based on technological feasibility, 69% of jobs in India are  susceptible to automation.

Employment  generation  has  been  an  important  priority  of  the  Government. Employment generation is both a cause and consequence of economic growth and is impacted by demographic shifts and technological transformations. To cater to technological advances in industry including automation, Government is  implementing  various  schemes  like  Make  in  India,  Skill  India,  Digital  India etc. Skilling of workforce under skill India is a major thrust of the Government to meet the changing needs of industry. A new Ministry of Skill Development and  Entrepreneurship  has  been  established  to  coordinate  the  skill  activities across  Ministries.  In  order  to  improve  the  employability  of  youth,  around  20 Ministries run skill development schemes across 70 sectors.

Further,  To  assess  the  effect  of  economic  slowdown  on  employment  in  India since  January,  2009,  Labour  Bureau,  Ministry  of  Labour  &  Employment,  has been conducting Quarterly Quick Employment surveys in the selected labourintensive  and  export-oriented  sectors  namely  textiles  including  apparels, metals, gems & jewellery, automobiles, transport, IT/BPO, leather and handloom/power loom. The coverage of the quarterly Quick Employment Survey has since been enhanced during 2016 with more industries/sectors and as per the  results  of  the  Survey  during  2016,  the  net  addition  of  jobs  during  the quarter ending September, 2016 over the quarter ending June, 2016 were 0.77 lakh workers.

In addition, 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 schemes like Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) run by  Ministry  of  Micro,  Small  &  Medium  Enterprises,  Mahatma  Gandhi  National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen  Kaushalya  Yojana  (DDU-GKY)  scheme  run  by  Ministry  of  Rural Development  and  Deendayal  Antyodaya  Yojana-  National  Urban  Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) run by Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation.

Under  the  Rajiv  Gandhi  Shramik  Kalyan  Yojana  (RGSKY)  unemployment allowance  is  paid  to  the  insured  person  of  Employee's    State  Insurance Corporation  (ESIC)  for  a  maximum  period  of  twelve  months    who  has  been rendered unemployed involuntarily on account of closure of factory/establishment, retrenchment or permanent invalidity etc.

A new Scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana' has been initiated by the  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment  in  the  year  2016-17  for  incentivising industry for promoting employment generation with the allocation of Rs. 1000 crore. Under this scheme employers would be provided an incentive to enhance employment  where  the  Government  will  pay  the  employer's  contribution  of 8.33% EPS made to new employees. In textiles (apparel and made-ups) sector, the  Government  will  also  pay  the  3.67%  EPF  contribution  of  employers  in addition to paying the 8.33% EPS contribution. Government has announced a booster  package  of  Rs  6000  crores  for  the  textile  sector which  is  an employment intensive sector.

Government has also implemented the National Career Service having a portal (www.ncs.gov.in) for online registration and posting of jobs for job-seekers and provide other employment related services.

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