Lok Sabha Question No. 88 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-19
Subject: Employment Avenues
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Prabhubhai Nagarbhai Vasava

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 88 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19 TH  JULY, 2021

## EMPLOYMENT AVENUES

## 88. SHRI PARBHUBHAI NAGARBHAI VASAVA:

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

- (a) the plan of the Government to provide more and more employment avenues as  a  large  number  of  people  have  faced  the  problems  in  jobs  and  selfemployment during corona pandemic; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

(a)  to  (b):  Government  of  India  has  taken  a  number  of  initiatives  for  promoting employment  generation in the country during corona pandemic. Financial package  of  more  than  rupees  twenty  seven  lakh  crore  under  'Aatma  Nirbhar Bharat'  has  been  launched  interalia,  to  create  employment  opportunities  for migrant workers, workers of organized and unorganized sector, strengthening of MSME sector and promoting rural economy. It includes number of initiatives for all these sectors.

Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) has been launched w.e.f. 1 st  October, 2020 to incentivize employers for creation of new employment along with social security benefits and restoration of employment. This scheme being implemented through  EPFO  seeks  to  reduce  the  financial  burden  of  the  employers  and encourages  them  to  hire  more  workers.  Under  ABRY,  Government  of  India  is providing for a period of two years, both the employees' share (12% of wages) and employers  share'  (12%  of  wages)  of  contribution  or  only  employees'  share  of contribution depending on employment  strength of the EPFO  registered establishments, for new employees whose monthly wage is less than Rs. 15,000/per  month.  The  new  employees  under  the  scheme  include  those  who  lost  their jobs  during  Covid-19  and  didn't  join  in  any  EPF  covered  establishment  upto 30.09.2020. The terminal date for registration of beneficiary under the scheme has been extended from 30 th  June, 2021 to 31 st  March, 2022.

Under  Pradhan  Mantri  Garib  Kalyan  Yojana  (PMGKY),  Government  of  India  has contributed both  12%  employer's  share  and  12%  employee's  share  under Employees Provident Fund (EPF), totaling 24% of the wage for the wage month from March to August, 2020 for  the establishments having upto 100 employees with 90% of such employees earning less than Rs. 15000/-.        This has helped in providing  employment  in  EPFO  registered  establishments  during  post  Covid period. Statutory  PF  contribution  of  both  employer  and  employee  was  reduced  to  10% each from existing 12% each for all establishments covered by EPFO for three months i.e. May to July 2020. PM-  SVANidhi  Scheme  has  facilitated  collateral  free  working  capital  loan  upto Rs.10,000/-  for  one-year  tenure  to  street  vendors,  to  help  them  resume  their businesses. RBI and Government of India have introduced measures to infuse liquidity in the economy to sustain the market economy and raise the level of employment. Besides  above,  Government  has  taken  various  other  steps  for generating employment in the country like encouraging various projects involving substantial investment  and  through  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  Deendayal  Antodaya  Yojana-National  Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM). Wage under MGNREGS has been increased from Rs. 182 per day to Rs. 202 per day. Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) is being implemented by the 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. Earlier  Pradhan  Mantri  Rojgar  Protsahan  Yojana  (PMRPY)  was  launched  to incentivise  employers  for  creation  of  new  employment.  Under  the  scheme, Government  of  India  is  paying  Employer's  contribution  i.e.  12%  for  a  period  of three years to the new employees earning upto Rs. 15,000/- through EPFO. The terminal  date  for  registration  of  beneficiary  through  establishment  was  31st March 2019. The beneficiaries registered upto 31st March, 2019 will continue to receive the benefit for 3 years from the date of registration under the scheme i.e. upto 31 st  March, 2022. 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.

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