Lok Sabha Question No. 380 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-05
Subject: Unemployment among SC/ST/OBC and EWS
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Sangeeta Azad

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

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 380

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05 TH  FEBRUARY, 2024

## UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG SC/ST/OBC AND EWS

380.   SHRIMATI SANGEETA AZAD :

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

- (a) the details of the steps taken by the Government to address unemployment  among  Scheduled  Castes  (SC),  Scheduled  Tribes  (ST), Other  Backward  Classes  (OBC),  and  Economically  Weaker  Sections  in Uttar Pradesh during the years 2022-2023;
- (b) whether any permanent employment opportunities have been created for SC, ST, OBC and EWS communities and the number of posts remain vacant as of now and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether any measures are taken/implemented to expedite the recruitment process,  given  the  disparities  in  employment  opportunities  compared  to other States;
- (d) the steps taken by the  Government to aware the rights and opportunities available for SC and ST communities and ensure their equal participation in the workforce; and
- (e) the details of the policies being advocated to achieve this goal?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

- (a) to  (e):  The  data  on  Employment  and Unemployment  is collected through Periodic  Labour  Force  Survey  (PLFS)  which  is  conducted  by  the  Ministry  of Statistics  &  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  Worker Population  Ratio  (WPR)  and  Unemployment  Rate  (UR)  on  usual  status  for persons,  including  SC,  ST,  OBC  and  EWS,  of  age  15  years  and  above  in  the country during last three years are as follows:

Table -1

| Year    |   Worker Population Ratio (WPR) in% |   Unemployment Rate (UR) in % |
|---------|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| 2020-21 |                                52.6 |                           4.2 |
| 2021-22 |                                52.9 |                           4.1 |
| 2022-23 |                                56   |                           3.2 |

Source: PLFS, MoSPI

The  estimated  Worker  Population  Ratio  (WPR)  and  Unemployment  Rate (UR)  on  usual  status  for  persons,  including  SC,  ST,  OBC  and  EWS,  of  age  15 years  and  above  in  the  state  of  Uttar  Pradesh  during  last  three  years  are  as follows:

Table -2

| Year    |   Uttar Pradesh Worker Population Ratio (WPR) in% |   Uttar Pradesh Unemployment Rate (UR) in% |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| 2020-21 |                                              48   |                                        4.2 |
| 2021-22 |                                              50.1 |                                        2.9 |
| 2022-23 |                                              53.9 |                                        2.4 |

Source: PLFS, MoSPI

The above data mentioned in Table-1 & Table-2 indicate that the Worker Population Ratio, indicating employment, has increasing trend and the unemployment  rate  has  decreasing  trend  in  the  country  as  well  as  Uttar Pradesh.

As  per  information  received  from  Government  of  Uttar  Pradesh,  job opportunities to job seekers are facilitated in private sectors through job fairs. Job seekers can participate in job fairs organized by Employment Exchanges of Uttar  Pradesh  where  employers  select  candidates  according  to  vacancies notified  on  departmental  portal  (  https://sewayojan.up.nic.in  ).  During  2022-23, 1891 job fairs were organized and 2,07,428 candidates selected through the job fairs in Uttar Pradesh.

The employment generation coupled with improving employability is the priority  of  the  Government.  Accordingly,  the  Government  of  India  has  taken various  steps  for  generating  employment  (including  the  persons  from  SC,  ST, OBC and EWS) in the country (including Uttar Pradesh).

Investments  in  Infrastructure  and  productive  capacity  have  a  large multiplier impact on growth and employment. The budget of 2023-24 proposed to increase capital investment outlay steeply for the third year in a row by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore, which would be 3.3 per cent of GDP. This substantial increase  in  recent  years  is  central  to  the  government's  efforts  to  enhance growth potential and job creation.

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 has provided fiscal stimulus of more than Rupees 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.

The Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) was launched with effect from 1st October, 2020 to incentivize employers for creation of new employment and restoration of loss of employment during Covid-19 pandemic. The terminal date  for  registration  of  beneficiaries  was  31.03.2022.  Since  inception  of  the scheme, till 19.01.2024, benefits have been provided to 60.49 lakhs beneficiaries under the scheme.

The  Government  is  implementing  Prime  Minister  Street  Vendor's  Atma Nirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi Scheme) since June 01, 2020 to facilitate collateral free  working  capital  loan  to  street  vendors  to  restart  their  businesses,  which were adversely impacted during the Covid-19 pandemic. As on 31.01.2024, 83.67 lakh loans have been sanctioned under the scheme.

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) was launched by the Government for facilitating self-employment. Under PMMY, collateral free loans up to Rs. 10 lakhs,  are  extended  to  micro/small  business  enterprises  and  to  individuals  to enable  them  to  setup  or  expand  their  business  activities.  As  on  26.01.2024, more than 46.16 crore loan accounts sanctioned under the scheme.

The  Production  Linked  Incentive  (PLI)  scheme  is  being  implemented  by the  Government with an outlay of Rs. 1.97 lakh crore, for a period of 5 years starting from 2021-22 which have potential for creating 60 lakh new jobs.

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  of  India is encouraging  various projects involving substantial investment and 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)  and  Deen  Dayal  Antodaya  YojanaNational Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) etc. for employment generation. The  Government  is  implementing  a  programme  for  skilling  of  rural  youth  for entrepreneurship  development  through  Rural  Self-Employment  and  Training Institutes (RSETIs). Further, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is implementing the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) Scheme and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to enhance the employability of youth.

Besides these initiatives, various flagship programmes of the Government such as Make in India, Start-up India, Stand-up India, Digital India, Housing for All etc. are also oriented towards generating employment opportunities.

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

Filling up of vacant posts in various Ministries/ Departments  is a continuous  process  and  efforts  are  made  to  fill  up  the  vacancies  as  per  the provisions of the relevant recruitment rules.

Instructions have been issued by Department of Personnel and Training to all Ministries/Departments of the Central Government to constitute an In-House Committee for identification  of  backlog  reserved  vacancies,  to  study  the  root cause  of  such  vacancies,  to  initiate  measures  to  remove  the  factors  causing such vacancies and to fill  them  up  through special recruitment drives. Implementation of the instructions on reservation by Ministries/Departments is followed up from time to time and handholding workshops are also organised.

Government has taken various steps to ensure transparency and fairness of appointments by simplifying the selection process and leveraging technology including  reduction  in  the  number  of  examination  tiers,  shortening  of  the examination cycle, conduct of computer-based examinations in place of paperbased examinations, abolition of interviews for lower-level posts and introduction of regional languages in Staff Selection Commission Examinations.

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated an umbrella scheme  '  Support  for  Marginalised  Individuals  for  Livelihood  and  Enterprise (SMILE)' which aims at economic, educational and social empowerment of its target groups.

National Career Service Centres for SC/STs are engaged in enhancing the employability  of  SC/ST  jobseekers.  These  Centres  conduct  outreach  activities for  wider  publicity  and  creating  awareness  among  SC/ST  population.  National Career  Service  Portal  provides  variety  of  employment  related  services  to  all categories  of  jobseekers  including  SC,  ST,  OBC  and  EWS.  These  services  are available at pan India basis. Employment services are also provided through a network of 1005 Employment Exchanges across the country.

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