Lok Sabha Question No. 2484 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-18
Subject: Equal Participation in Workforce
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Sangeeta Azad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2484 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH  DECEMBER, 2023

## EQUAL PARTICIPATION IN WORKFORCE

## 2484.    SHRIMATI SANGEETA AZAD :

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

- (a) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  address  unemployment  among Scheduled  Castes  (SCs),  Scheduled  Tribes  (STs),  Other  Backward  Classes (OBCs),  and  Economically  Weaker  Sections  (EWSs)  during  the  year  20222023;
- (b) the number of permanent employment opportunities created for SC, ST, OBC and EWS communities and the number of posts remaining vacant as of now;
- (c) the measures taken by the Government to expedite the recruitment process;
- (d) whether the Government has launched any awareness campaign about the rights and opportunities available for SC and ST communities; and
- (e) the steps taken to ensure their equal participation in the workforce?

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## ANSWER (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:

| 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  above  data  indicates  that  the  Worker  Population  Ratio,  indicating employment,  has  increasing  trend  and  the  unemployment  rate  has  decreasing trend in the country.

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.

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 23.09.2023,  benefits  have  been  provided  to  60.47  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  23.11.2023,  78.08  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 lakh, are extended to micro/small business enterprises and to individuals to enable them to  setup  or  expand  their  business  activities.  As  on  17.11.2023,  more  than  44.41 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  Yojana-National  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.

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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