Lok Sabha Question No. 3831 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-24
Subject: Employment and Skill Development Initiatives
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Anurag Singh Thakur

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3831 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.03.2025

## EMPLOYMENT AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES

## 3831. SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR:

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

- (a)whether specific measures are being implemented by the Union Government to ensure effective utilization of funds;
- (b)whether significant increase in the budget allocation for FY 2025-
- 26 has been observed;
- (c)whether underutilization was observed in previous years, if so, the
- details thereof;
- (d)whether concrete targets have been set for job creation across the Employment Linked Initiatives Scheme (ELI) to 20,000 crore and
- various  sectors  with  the doubling  of the allocation for the manner in which the impact of these targets be measured;
- (e)whether a specific timeline has been established for rolling out identity cards, e-Shram registration and healthcare coverage under PM  Jan  Arogya  Yojana  for  the  estimated  1  crore  gig  workers considering the Government's focus on extending social security benefits to gig workers;
- (f)whether  the  Government  has  discontinued  the  Pradhan  Mantri
- Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA); and
- (g)if so, whether alternative programmes are being implemented to address  digital  literacy  gaps  in  rural  India  and  ensure  digital inclusion for underserved populations and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a): Yes,  Government  has  implemented  various  measures through Treasury Single Account (TSA), Central Nodal Agency (CNA)/ State  Nodal  Agency  (SNA) through  which  real  time  monitoring  is possible  with  help  of   various   reports    generated.    Additionally,

instructions have been issued from time to time to the concerned division of the Ministry of Labour & Employment to ensure realistic estimation of Budget, full utilization of funds allocated to them by fixing  monthly  and  quarterly  targets.  The  expenditure  under  all schemes is monitored regularly.

(b): For the financial year 2025-26, the Ministry of Finance has allocated Rs. 32,646.19 crore for the Ministry of Labour & Employment,  representing  an increase of Rs. 10,114.72 crore (44.89%)  compared  to  the  previous  year's  Budget  Estimate.  This increase  in  allocation  is  mainly  under  the  Employment  Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme, for which the budgetary allocation has been doubled from ₹10,000 crore to ₹2 0,000 crore.

(c): The  Budget  estimates  (BE),  Revised  Estimate  (RE)  and Actual Expenditure (AE) figures for the Ministry during the last three fiscal are as follows:

(Rs. in Crores)

|   S. No. | Year    |      BE |      RE |      AE | Shortfall/Excess Expenditure w.r.t. RE   |
|----------|---------|---------|---------|---------|------------------------------------------|
|        1 | 2021-22 | 13306.5 | 14248.7 | 24036.3 | 9787.60(+)*                              |
|        2 | 2022-23 | 16893.7 | 16117.6 | 14800.6 | 1317.04(-)                               |
|        3 | 2023-24 | 13221.7 | 12521.1 | 11539.6 | 981.44(-)                                |

(d): In Union Budget 2024-25, the Government has announced Employment Linked Incentive Scheme as part of 'Prime Minister's Package  on  Employment  and  Skilling'  for  more  than  2  crore beneficiaries  with  a  total  outlay  of  Rs.  1,07,000/-  Cr  to  stimulate employment  generation,  enhance  employability  and  ensure  social security for the workforce. The Scheme incentivizes employers and employees and focuses on First-Time employees in the formal sector. As per the Budget announcement, the period of enrollment under the proposed  Scheme  is  two  years.  The  First-Timers/  Rejoinees  with salary up to Rs. One lakh per month will be eligible based on their enrolment in EPFO.

A number of stakeholder consultations have been held at the national and regional level to seek suggestions on the scheme design. An effective outreach strategy has been drawn up.

- (e): Necessary  approvals  and  operational  preparations  for rolling out the scheme are being finalized. No specific date has been fixed for the launch of the scheme.
- (f) & (g): The  Pradhan  Mantri  Gramin  Digital  Saksharta  Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) was initiated to reach digital literacy in 6 crore rural households  (one  person  per  household)  nationwide.  As  against  6 crore, 6.39 crore individuals were trained across the country.

The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) conducted the 'Comprehensive  Annual  Modular  Survey'  (CAMS)  in  its  79th  round (July, 2022 to June, 2023). As per the survey, among the persons aged 15-24  years,  around  78.4  percent  reported  execution  of  skill  of 'sending  messages  (e.g.,  e-mail,  messaging  service,  SMS)  with attached files (e.g., documents, pictures, video)'. Further, about 94.2 percent  of  rural  households  and  about  97.1  percent  of  urban households possess telephone and/or mobile phone. From the said report,  given  the  significant  rise  in  smart-phone  usage,  internet penetration, and digital engagement in rural areas, the objectives of the scheme were successfully achieved. The training & certification under the scheme was officially concluded on March 31st, 2024.

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