Lok Sabha Question No. 2455 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-08
Subject: Rate of Growth of Employment
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Dean Kuriakose

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK  SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2455

TO BE ANSWERED ON 8TH JULY, 2019

RATE OF GROWTH OF EMPLOYMENT

2455.  ADV.  DEAN KURIAKOSE:

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

- (a) whether the rate of growth of employment has decelerated including employment in rural areas during the last five years;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the annual compound growth rate of employment opportunities in the public sector is negative in almost all the States; and
- (d) if so, the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (d):  As  per  the  results  of  Periodic  Labour  Force  Survey  (PLFS)  conducted  by National Sample Survey Office, Ministry of Statistics and programme Implementation during  2017-2018  and  annual  employment-unemployment  surveys  conducted  by Labour Bureau, Ministry of Labour and Employment, the estimated Worker Population Ratio  on  usual  status  (principal  status+subsidiary  status)  basis  for  persons  aged 15years and above  is to the extent available given below:

| Worker Population Ratio (in %)   | Worker Population Ratio (in %)   | Worker Population Ratio (in %)   | Worker Population Ratio (in %)   |
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| Survey *Year                     | Rural                            | Urban                            | All-India                        |
| 2017-18 (PLFS)                   | 48.1                             | 43.9                             | 46.8                             |
| Survey by Labour Bureau          | Survey by Labour Bureau          | Survey by Labour Bureau          | Survey by Labour Bureau          |
| 2015-16                          | 53.9                             | 41.8                             | 50.5                             |
| 2013-14                          | 57.1                             | 45.5                             | 53.7                             |
| 2012-13                          | 53.6                             | 44.2                             | 51.0                             |
| 2011-12                          | 56.3                             | 45.8                             | 53.6                             |

(Note: *Survey methodology and sample selection are different in PLFS and Labour Bureau survey)

Employment  generation  coupled  with  improving  employability  is  the  priority concern  of  the  Government.  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  various  schemes  such  as  Prime  Minister's  Employment  Generation  Programme (PMEGP), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS),  Pt.Deen  Dayal  Upadhyaya  Grameen  Kaushalya  Yojana  (DDU-GKY), Deendayal 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. This scheme has a dual benefit, where, on the one  hand,  the  employer  is  incentivised  for  increasing  the  employment  base  of workers  in  the  establishment,  and  on  the  other  hand,    these  workers  will  have access to social security benefits of the organised sector. The scheme aims to cover a large number of informal workers to the formal workforce.

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) has been initiated by Government inter alia  for  facilitating  self-employment.  Under  PMMY  collateral  free  loans  upto Rs.  10 lakh, are extended to micro/small business enterprises and to individuals to enable them to setup or expand their business activities. Upto 31st March, 2019, 18.26 crore loans were sanctioned under the scheme.

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.

Start-up  India  is  a  flagship  initiative  of  the  Government  of  India,  intended  to build a strong ecosystem that is conducive for the growth of start-up businesses, to drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities.

Besides  these  initiatives,  flagship  programmes  of  the  Government  such  as Make in India, Digital India, Swachh Bharat Mission, Smart City Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, Housing for All, Infrastructure development  and  Industrial  corridors  have  the  potential  to  generate  productive employment  opportunities.  Ministries/  Departments/  States  run  skill  development schemes  across  various  sectors  to  improve  the  employability  of  youth  and  also facilitate  placements.  Schemes  such  as  the  National  Apprenticeship  Promotion Scheme (NAPS) wherein Government reimburses 25 percent of the stipend payable to apprentices also enhances employability of the youth to access employment.

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