Lok Sabha Question No. 2193 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-24
Subject: Centre for Monitoring the Indian Economy
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: PINAKI MISRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2193 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 TH DECEMBER, 2018

## CENTRE FOR MONITORING THE INDIAN ECONOMY

## 2193.  SHRI PINAKI MISRA:

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

- (a) whether  according  to  the  'Centre  for  Monitoring  the  Indian  Economy' (CMIE),  the  unemployment  rate  in  the  country  has  risen  to  6.9%  in October,  2018  touching  the  high  of  2016  mark  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) whether the Labour Participation Rate has also fallen to its lowest to that of January, 2016 and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the number of job seekers has doubled from 14 million in July, 2017 to 29.5 million in October, 2018 and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the  reasons  for  such  an  alarming  situation  and  the  steps  taken/being taken by the Government to get over such a crisis?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

(a)  &  (b):  As  per  the  Centre  for  Monitoring  Indian  Economy  Pvt  Ltd.  (CMIE), unemployment rate in October, 2018 was 6.9%. As per the result of labour force surveys on Employment-Unemployment conducted by Labour Bureau, Ministry of Labour and Employment, the estimated unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above on usual status basis in the country in 2015-16 was 3.7% and the estimated Labour Force Participation rate in 2013-14 and 2015-16 was 55.6% and 52.4% respectively.

(c): As per the National Career Service (NCS) portal, the number of jobseekers those who got registered in portal in 2017-18 were 23.10 lakh and in 2018-19 were 21.40 lakh (upto October, 2018). [Jobseekers data post-cleansing exercise done in August, 2018]

(d): Employment generation coupled with improving employability is the priority of  the  Government.  Government  has  taken  various  steps  for  generating employment in the country like encouraging private sector of economy, fasttracking  various  projects  involving  substantial  investment  and  increasing public  expenditure  on  schemes  like  Prime  Minister's  Employment  Generation Programme (PMEGP), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme  (MGNREGS),  Pt.  Deen  Dayal  Upadhyaya  Grameen  Kaushalya  Yojana (DDU-GKY) and Deendyal Antodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM). Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY) has been launched by the Ministry of Labour  and  Employment  for  incentivising employers  for promoting employment generation. Under this scheme, Government is paying entire employer's contribution (12% or as admissible) towards EPF and EPS for all eligible new employees for all sectors for 3 years. Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) has been initiated by Government for  facilitating  self-employment. Under PMMY collateral free loans uptoRs. 10 lakh,  are  extended  to  small/micro  business  enterprises  and  to  individuals  to enable them to setup or expand their business activities.

Government has implemented the National Career Service (NCS) Project which comprises a digital portal that provides a nation-wide online platform for the  job  seekers  and  employers  for  job-matching  in  a  dynamic,  efficient  and responsive manner and has a repository of career content to job seekers.

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