Lok Sabha Question No. 4234 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-27
Subject: Drastic Shift in Technology
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: V. Kalanidhi

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4234 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27 TH  MARCH, 2023

## DRASTIC SHIFT IN TECHNOLOGY

## 4234.  DR. KALANIDHI VEERASWAMY :

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

- a) whether the Government is aware of the drastic shift in technology happening in all level of economy that making the larger population of the workforce unfit for employment;
- b) if  so,  the details thereof, along with the steps taken/being taken by the Government to train the workforce especially those coming from marginalized socio-economic and regional backgrounds to fit into the technological shift by adopting Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning;
- c) if not, the reasons therefor; and
- d) the details of steps taken to improve the skills of working age groups in North Chennai constituency during the last three years?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a) to (d): The data on Employment and Unemployment is collected through Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) which is conducted by the Ministry of Statistics  and  Programme  Implementation  (MoSPI)  since  2017-18.  The survey  period  is  July  to  June  of  next  year.  As  per  the  data  available  in latest Annual PLFS Reports, the estimated Worker Population Ratio (WPR) on usual status for persons of age 15 years and above has increased to 52.9% during 2021-22 from 46.8% during 2017-18.

The  Government  considers  Artificial  Intelligence  (AI)  tobe  kinetic enabler  for  the  growth  of  our  digital  economy,  investments  and  jobs.  To expand  AI  ecosystem  and  connect  the  AI  opportunities  to  the  youth, including persons from marginalized socio-economic and regional backgrounds, the Government has taken various initiatives in the country as under:

- i) The  Government  has  initiated  'Visvesvaraya  PhD  Scheme'  with  the objective to enhance the number of PhDs in Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/IT Enabled Services (IT/ITES) sectors including AI and Emerging Technologies.
2. ii) MeitY has initiated 'Future Skills PRIME'a programme  for Reskilling/Up-skilling  of  IT  Manpower  for  Employability  in  10  new/emerging technologies including Artificial Intelligence.
3. iii) With the objective to empower the youth to become AI ready as well as increase the skilled AI youth, Government along with Industry partner has initiated'Responsible AI for Youth' programme to promote AI awareness  among  Government  school  children,  who  had  limited  or  no access to the latest technologies and resources.
4. iv) The Government has also launched National Mission on Interdisciplinary  Cyber-Physical  Systems  (NM-ICPS).  Under  this  Mission, Department  of  Science  &  Technology  (DST)  has  created  a  Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, which aims to provide the state  of  the  art  training  and  capacity  building  for  the  creation  of  nextgeneration scientists, engineers, technicians, and technocrats in the field of Artificial Intelligence.

Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) delivers skill  training  through  a  comprehensive  network  of  skill  development centres/institutes  under  various  schemes  viz.  Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal VikasYojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS)  through  Industrial  Training  Institutes  (ITIs),  across  the  country. Under Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS), the module of Artificial Intelligence  is  covered  under  a  course  of  Internet  of  Things-  Smart Healthcare (IoT-Smart Healthcare) of duration 1 year.At present, there are total 14,953 ITIs established in the country, out of which 501 are in Tamil Nadu.

Deen  Dayal  Upadhyaya  Grameen  Kaushalya  Yojana  (DDU-GKY)  is  a placement  linked  skill  development  program  for  rural  poor  youth  under National  Rural  Livelihoods  Mission  (NRLM)  since  September,  2014.  Rural Youth in the age group of 15-35 years are covered under this scheme. In Tamil Nadu, more than 12 thousands candidates were trained during 202223 (upto Feb, 2023).

Rural  Self  Employment  Training  Institutes  (RSETIs)  provide  training for Skill and Entrepreneurship Development. Any unemployed youth in the age group of 18-45 years, having an aptitude to take up self-employment or wage employment and having some basic knowledge in the related field can  undergo  training  at  RSETI.  In  Tamil  Nadu,  more  than  24  thousands candidates were trained during 2022-23 (upto Feb, 2023).

National  Career  Service  portal  of  this  Ministry  offer  its  registered jobseekers  a  free,  self-paced  Online  Training  Programme  on  'Career Skills', which will enhance the employability of the jobseekers. During the last three years, 292 jobseekers have been certified in Chennai under the said programme.

All these initiatives are expected to improve the skill and collectively  generate  employment  in  the  medium  to  long  term  through multiplier-effects.

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