Lok Sabha Question No. 50 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-19
Subject: Urban Joblessness Rate
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Andimuthu Raja

## 50.  SHRI A. RAJA:

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

- (a) whether urban joblessness rate has increased in the country in the last six months;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) the national unemployment rate during the last three years, year-wise; and
- (d) whether any efforts have been made  by Government  to provide more job opportunities  in  the  country,  especially  in  sectors  like  automobiles,  textiles  and unorganised sector; and
- (e)
- if so, the details thereof?

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 50

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 19 TH  JULY, 2021

## URBAN JOBLESSNESS RATE

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (c): Annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) on employment and unemployment is  conducted  by  National  Statistical  Office  (NSO),  Ministry  of  Statistics  and  Programme Implementation. As per the PLFS Quarterly Bulletin April-June 2020, quarterly unemployment rate (in %), as per Current Weekly Status(CWS) in urban areas for persons of  age 15 years and above in the country to the extent available for the quarter ending July-Sep 2019, Oct-Dec 2019, Jan-March 2020 and April-June 2020 were 8.3%, 7.8%, 9.1% and 20.8% respectively. The complete picture of employment/unemployment situation in the country can be assessed only from survey data for entire year covering both rural and urban areas. The annual PLFS data is available upto 2018-19. As per the results of annual PLFS, the unemployment rate for persons of 15 years and above on usual status (principal status + subsidiary status) basis in the country to the extent available during 2017-18 and 2018-19 was 6.0% and 5.8%, respectively.
- (d) & (e): Government of India has taken a number of initiatives for promoting employment generation in the country. Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) has been launched w.e.f.  1st  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 includes those who have lost their employment during Covid-19 pandemic and did not join any  EPF  covered  establishment  upto  30.09.2020.  The  terminal  date  for  registration  of beneficiary  under  the  scheme  has  been  extended  from  30th  June,  2021  to  31st  March, 2022.

Under  Pradhan  Mantri  Garib  Kalyan  Yojna  (PMGKY),  Government  of  India  has contributed  both  12%  employer's  share  and  12%  employee's  share  under  Employees Provident Fund (EPF), totalling 24% of the wage for the wage month from March to August, 2020 for the establishments having 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.

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 31st March, 2022.

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 during the post Covid period.

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.

Besides above to enhance the employment generation, Government is 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), Deendayal Antodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) run  by  Ministry  of  Micro,  Small  &  Medium  Enterprises,  Ministry  of  Rural  Development, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs and Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), respectively.

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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