Lok Sabha Question No. 3295 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-15
Subject: Employment Opportunities in Rural Areas
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: GOPAL CHINAYYA SHETTY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3295 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2018

## EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN RURAL AREAS

## 3295.   SHRI GOPAL SHETTY:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that the benefits of development are not reaching the rural people and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  poverty  and  unemployment  have  not  decreased  in  the  country  as  per  the target set by the Government and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the rural employment growth rate has become stagnant at one point and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether there has been a decline in per capita foodgrain consumption due to the same and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  steps  taken/likely  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  adequately  increase  the employment opportunities in rural areas?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## (SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV)

(a)  to  (d):  The  Department  of  Rural  Development,  inter  alia,  is  implementing  Mahatma  Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural  Livelihoods  Mission  (DAY-NRLM),  Deen  Dayal  Upadhyay  -  Gramin  Kaushalya  Yojana (DDU-GKY),  Pradhan  Mantri  Awaas  Yojana  -Gramin  (PMAY-G),  Pradhan  Mantri  Gram  Sadak Yojana  (PMGSY)  and  National  Social  Assistance  Programme  (NSAP)  to  bring  about  overall improvement  in  the  quality  of  life  of  the  people  in  rural  areas  through  employment  generation, skilling of youths, provision of social assistance and other basic amenities. These Programmes have direct and indirect bearing on employment generation and poverty alleviation.

In order to ensure that the programme benefits reach the rural poor in full measure, the Ministry has evolved  a  comprehensive  multi-level  and  multi-tool  system  of  monitoring  and  evaluation  of  the implementation  of  rural  development  programmes,  including  Performance  Review  Committee Meetings,  District  Development  Co-ordination  and  Monitoring  Committee  named  as  'DISHA', National Level Monitors, Area Officers Schemes, Common Review Mission, Concurrent Evaluation and Impact Assessment Studies.

As per the reports/returns received from the state governments/UT Administrations, the implementation of these programmes have been found to be satisfactory. Rural poverty ratio, rural unemployment ratio and rural average monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE)   for the year 2011-12 viz-a-viz 2004-05 are as following:

|                                   | 2004-05   | 2011-12   |
|-----------------------------------|-----------|-----------|
| Rural Poverty*                    | 41.8%     | 25.7%     |
| Rural Unemployment**              | 1.7%      | 1.7%      |
| Rural average MPCE*** (in rupees) | 579.17    | 1287.17   |

*** Average rural MPCE Mixed Recall Period based on Consumer Expenditure Survey conducted by NSSO.

- (e): The implementation of rural development programmes generates direct and indirect employment  opportunities,  make  rural  youths  employable  in  the  open  market  through  skill development and enable them undertake self employment enterprises.

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