Lok Sabha Question No. 173 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-25
Subject: Youth Unemployment Rates in India
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Thiru D M Kathir Anand

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 173 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 TH  NOVEMBER, 2024

## YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN INDIA

173. THIRU D M KATHIR ANAND: Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:
2. (a) whether the Government is in concurrence with Reports of International  Labour  Organisation  (ILO)  that  youth  unemployment rates in India are now higher than the global levels;
3. (b) whether it is a fact that Indian economy has not been able to create enough jobs for educated youths during the last ten years;
4. (c) whether  rise  in  so  called  gig  jobs  or  temporary  and  low  paying employment is alarming for employment situation in the country; and
5. (d) if  so,  the  details thereof and steps being taken by the Government on these issues?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a)  to  (d):  India  Employment  Report,  2024  of  Institute  for  Human Development (IHD)  -  International  Labour  Organisation  (ILO)  mentioned that in ILO's Global Report Trends for Youth, 2022, the worldwide youth unemployment  rate  was  15.6  per  cent  in  2021.  Further,  as  per  World Employment and Social Outlook Trends, 2024 by ILO, globally, in 2023, the youth unemployment rate was 13.3 per cent. The official data source of  Employment/  Unemployment  indicator  in  India  at  present  is  the Periodic  Labour  Force  Survey  (PLFS)  conducted  by  the  Ministry  of Statistics  and  Programme  Implementation  (MoSPI)  since  2017-18.  The survey period is July to June of the next year. As per the latest available Annual PLFS reports, the estimated Unemployment Rate (UR) on usual status  for  youth  of  age  15-29  years  in  the  country  in  the  year  2023-24 was  10.2%  which  is  lower  than  global  levels.  Further,  the  Worker Population  Ratio  (WPR)  for  youth  indicating  employment  has  increased from 31.4% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24.

Employees'  Provident  Fund  Organization  (EPFO)  Payroll  Data  gives an idea of the level of employment in the formal sector. More than 1.3 crore  net  subscribers  joined  EPFO  during  2023-24.  Moreover,  during September 2017 to August, 2024, more than 7.03 crore net subscribers have joined EPFO, indicating increase in formalisation of employment.

All  the  labour  force  indicators  are  providing  evidence  of  improved employment scenario in the country.

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  various  Ministries/  Departments  of  Government  of  India  like Ministry  of  Micro,  Small  and  Medium  Enterprises,  Ministry  of  Rural Development, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Textile, etc. are implementing different employment generation  schemes/  programmes  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),  Rural  Self  Employment  and Training Institutes (RSETIs), Deen Dayal Antodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), etc. The details of various employment generation schemes/ programmes being implemented  by the Government  of India may  be  seen at https://dge.gov.in/dge/schemes\_programmes.

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