Lok Sabha Question No. 1784 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-25
Subject: Jobs Threatened by Automation
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: KAMAL NATH, JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA

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## LOK SABHA

## Unstarred Question No.1784

## TO BE ANSWERED ON NOVEMBER25,2016/Agrahayana 4,1938(Saka)

## Jobs Threatened by Automation

## OUEST10N

## 1784.SHRI KAplEAL NATH: SHRIJYOTIRADITYA SCINDIA

Will the Minister  of FINANCE  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the Government is aware of World Bank research that the proportion ofjobs threatened by automation in India is 69 percent and the technology could fundamentally disrupt the pattern oftraditional  path;
- (b)if so, the reaction  of the Govemment  thereof;
- (c) whether the Govemment has identified the sectors likely to be hit hard by automation;  and
- (d)if so, the details thereof and steps taken by the Govemment in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEG}IWAL):

- (a): Yes Sir. According to the World Development Report,  2016 of World Bank Group titled 'Digital Dividends',  the unadjusted  estimated share of employment that is susceptible  to automation for India is around  69%o. The estimated  share of employment adjusted for technological  feasibility and adoption  time lags is 42.58%.
- (b), (c) and (d): The World Development Report,2016 interalia also states that "Yet, even if technologically feasible. large-scale net job destruction due to

automation should not be a concem  for most developing  countries  in the short term." The Govemment is also of a similar view.

Even in medium to long term, growh of Indian economy of oyer 7% and steps being taken to enhance the growth  momentum will result in further creation of new job  opportunities  and absorption  of replaced  labour, if any.

Furthermore, employment generation has been one of the most important priorities of the Government. Employment  generation  is both a cause and consequence  of economic growth and is impacted by demographic shifts and technological transformations.

In order to improve the employability  of youth, around 20 ministries run skill development  schemes  across 70 sectors.

In addition,  Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship  has been established  to coordinate  the skill development  efforts across the country, removal of disconnect  between and demand and supply of skilled manpower, building the vocational  and technical training framework, skill upgradation,  building of new skills etc.

Govemment  bodies like National Skill Development  Council (NSDC) and the Sector Skills Council (SSC) address  the present  and the future requirements  of identifying  the uniquejob roles and the skills require for the same.

Moreover, Govemment has taken various steps for generating  employment in the country like encouraging private sector in the economy, fast-tracking  various projects involving substantial  investment  and increasing  public expenditure on schemes  like PM's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) run by Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises,  Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS),  Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) run by Ministry of Rural Development and DeenDayalAntyodayaYojana-  National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAYNULM) run by Ministry of Housing  and Urban Poverty Alleviation  etc.

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