Lok Sabha Question No. 1418 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-01
Subject: Unemployment Rate
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Saikia Dilip

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1418 TO BE ANSWERED ON 1 st  JULY, 2019

## UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

## 1418.  SHRI DILIP SAIKIA:

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

- (a) the unemployment rate in the country during the last ten years;
- (b) whether  the  Government  is  committed  to  provide  the  new  employment opportunities for the unemployed youths of the country;
- (c) if so, the response of the Government with regard to this; and
- (d) the details of the programme being run by the Central Government in each State for providing employment opportunities across the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a):  The  quinquennial  labour  force  surveys  on  employment  and  unemployment were conducted by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Ministry of Statistics and  Programme  Implementation.  The  last  such  survey  was  conducted  during 2011-12. Now, NSSO has switched to the annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) which was conducted during 2017-18. The estimated unemployment rate on usual status (principal status+subsidiary status) basis for persons of all ages in the country is given below:

| Year                     | Unemployment Rate   |
|--------------------------|---------------------|
| 2017-18*(PLFS)           | 6.1%                |
| 2011-12(NSS 68 th round) | 2.2%                |
| 2009-10(NSS 66 th round) | 2.0%                |
| 2004-05(NSS 61 st round) | 2.3%                |

(Note: *For comparability, the results of the PLFS with earlier rounds of NSS surveys need to be understood in the context with which the survey methodology and sample selection has been designed)

(b) to (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  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) 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 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.

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.

Startup  India  is  being  implemented  by  the  Government  for  facilitating employment.

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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