Lok Sabha Question No. 4034 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-28
Subject: Jobs with Social Security
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Kani K. Navas

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4034 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 TH  MARCH, 2022

## JOBS WITH SOCIAL SECURITY

4034.  SHRI K. NAVASKANI:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken cognizance that the country requires a  policy  push  not  just  for  creating  additional  employment,  but  also  to ensure  that  the  jobs  so  created  provide  decent  wages,  security  of
- tenure and social protection; and
- (b) if so, the steps proposed to be taken by the Government keeping in mind that  ideas  like  an  unemployment  allowance  or  an  urban  employment guarantee  are  unlikely  to  solve  the  unemployment  problem  in  its entirety?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a) to (b): The four Labour Codes viz. Code on Wages; Occupational Safety, Health  and  Working  Conditions  Code;  Industrial  Relation  Code  and  Social Security Code which have been passed by the Parliament inter-alia envisages timely payment of wages to all workers, provision of appointment letter  and  extension  of  social  security,  safety,  health  and  other  welfare provisions to ensure a larger safety net for workers.

Employment generation coupled with improving employability is the priority of the Government. Accordingly, the Government of India has taken various steps  for  generating  employment  in  the  country.  The  Government  of  India has announced  Aatmanirbhar Bharat package  to provide stimulus to business  and  to  mitigate  the  adverse  impact  of  Covid  19.  Under  this package,  the  Government  is  providing  fiscal  stimulus  of  more  than  Rs. Twenty  Seven  lakh  crore.  This  package  comprises  of  various  long  term schemes/  programmes/  policies  for  making  the  country  self-reliant  and  to create employment opportunities.

Aatmanirbhar  Bharat  Rojgar  Yojana  (ABRY)  has  been  launched  with  effect from  1st  October,  2020  as  part  of  Atmanirbhar  Bharat  package  3.0  to incentivize  employers  for  creation  of  new  employment  along  with  social security  benefits  and  restoration  of  loss  of  employment  during  Covid-19 pandemic. This scheme being implemented through the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), seeks to reduce the financial burden of the employers and encourages them to hire more workers. The terminal date for  registration  of  beneficiaries  has  been  extended  from  30.06.2021  to 31.03.2022. Benefits have been provided to 51.95 lakh beneficiaries through 1.35 lakh establishments till 12.03.2022.

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) is being implemented by the Government  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 11.03.2022, 34.08 crore loans were sanctioned under the scheme.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is a demand driven wage employment programme of the Government which provide for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in  every  financial  year  to  every  household  whose  adult members  volunteer  to  do  unskilled  manual  work.  As  per  Section  7  of  the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, unemployment  allowance  is  payable  in  case  an  applicant  is  not  provided employment within 15 days of receipt of his application seeking employment or  from  the  date  on  which  employment  has  been  sought  in  case  of  an advance application, whichever is later.

The employees covered under Employees' State Insurance (ESI) Scheme are entitled to unemployment allowance. There are two unemployment allowance schemes namely Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojna (ABVKY) and Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojna (RGSKY). The scheme Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana was introduced by the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) on pilot basis for a period of 2 years w.e.f. 01.07.2018 for providing relief to the Insured Persons (IPs) who have become unemployed. The scheme has been extended upto 30th June 2022.

PM  GatiShakti  is  a  transformative  approach  for  economic  growth  and sustainable development. The approach is driven by seven engines, namely, Roads, Railways, Airports, Ports, Mass Transport, Waterways, and Logistics Infrastructure. This approach is powered by Clean Energy and Sabka Prayas leading to huge job and entrepreneurial opportunities for all.

The  Government  has  put  emphasis  on  railways,  roads,  urban  transport, power, telecom, textiles and affordable housing amid continued focus on the National Infrastructure Pipeline. Budget 2021-22 launched Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, with an outlay of Rs. 1.97 lakh crore, for a period of 5 years starting from 2021-22. All these initiatives are expected  to collectively  generate  employment  and  boost  output  in  the  medium  to  long term through multiplier-effects.

The Government of India is encouraging various projects involving substantial  investment  and  public  expenditure  on  schemes  like  Prime Minister's  Employment  Generation  Programme  (PMEGP)  of  the  Ministry  of Micro,  Small  &  Medium  Enterprises,  Pt.  Deen  Dayal  Upadhyaya  Grameen Kaushalya  Yojana  (DDU-GKY)  of  the  Ministry  of  Rural  Development,  Deen Dayal  Antodaya  Yojana-National  Urban  Livelihoods  Mission  (DAY-NULM)  of the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs etc. for employment generation.

Besides  these  initiatives,  various  flagship  programmes  of  the  Government such as Make in India, Start-up India, Digital India, Smart City Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, Housing for All, Infrastructure Development and Industrial Corridors are also oriented towards generating employment opportunities.

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