Lok Sabha Question No. 118 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-04
Subject: Expenditure under Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana PM-SYM
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Behanan Benny

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

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 118

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 04 TH  DECEMBER, 2023

## EXPENDITURE UNDER PRADHAN MANTRI SHRAM YOGI MAAN-DHAN YOJANA (PM-SYM)

118.   SHRI BENNY BEHANAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government has proposed measures to tackle the decline in the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) of women from 27 per cent in 2012 to 23.9 per cent in 2022, as per the World Bank data and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has proposed/ implementing any plan to address the  persistently  high  average  unemployment  rate  among  youth  and  if  so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether it is a fact that the Government reduced the allocation for Social Security Schemes for workers from Rs. 15845.10 crore in BE 2022-23 to Rs. 12152.82 crore in BE 2023-24 and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the reasons for less expenditure incurred under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-SYM) till February 2023;
- (e) the percentage of the PSU workforce consists of reserved categories; and
- (f) the percentage of reserved category jobs remain vacant in PSUs?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (f):  The  data  on  Employment  and  Unemployment  is  collected  through 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 Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) on usual status for women of age 15 years and above in the country during the period 2017-18 to 2022-23 are as follows:

| Years   |   Women LFPR (in %) |
|---------|---------------------|
| 2017-18 |                23.3 |
| 2018-19 |                24.5 |
| 2019-20 |                30   |
| 2020-21 |                32.5 |
| 2021-22 |                32.8 |
| 2022-23 |                37   |

Source: PLFS, MoSPI

The data indicates that the women  labour force participation has substantially increased to 37.0% during 2022-23 as compared to 23.3% in 201718.

The estimated Unemployment Rate (UR)  on usual status for youth of age 1529 years during the years 2017-18 to 2022-23 are as follows:

| Years   |   Unemployment Rate (in %) |
|---------|----------------------------|
| 2017-18 |                       17.8 |
| 2018-19 |                       17.3 |
| 2019-20 |                       15   |
| 2020-21 |                       12.9 |
| 2021-22 |                       12.4 |
| 2022-23 |                       10   |

Source: PLFS, MoSPI

The above data indicates that the youth unemployment rate has a declining trend over the years.

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 including women's participation in the labour force and quality of their employment.

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 AtmaNirbharNidhi  (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 upto 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.  Further,  the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is implementing the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 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.

The Government has taken various steps to improve women's participation in  the  labour  force  and  quality  of  their  employment.  A  number  of  protective provisions have been incorporated in the labour laws for equal opportunity and congenial work environment for women workers.

The Code on Social Security, 2020 has the provisions for enhancement in paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks, provision for mandatory crèche facility  in  the  establishments  having  50  or  more  employees,  permitting  women workers in the night shifts with adequate safety measures, etc. The  Code  on  Occupational  Safety,  Health  And  Working  Conditions  (OSH), 2020 has the provisions for the employment of women in the aboveground mines including opencast workings has been allowed between 7 pm and 6 am, and in below  ground  working  between  6  am  and  7  pm  in  technical,  supervisory  and managerial work where continuous presence may not be required. The Code on Wages 2019 has provisions that there shall be no discrimination in an establishment or any unit thereof among employees on the ground of gender in matters relating to wages by the same employer, in respect of  the  same work or work of similar nature done by any employee. Further, no employer shall make any discrimination on the ground of sex while recruiting any employee  for  the  same  work  or  work  of  similar  nature  in  the  conditions  of employment, except where the employment of women in such work is prohibited or restricted by or under any law for the time being in force. To  enhance  the  employability  of  female  workers,  the  Government  is providing  training  to  them  through  a  network  of  Women  Industrial  Training institutes, National Vocational Training Institutes and Regional Vocational Training Institutes. All these initiatives are expected to collectively generate employment in the medium to long term through multiplier-effects. The  budget  allocation  for  Social  Security  Schemes  for  workers  is  Rs. 12152.82 crore in BE 2023-24 which was Rs. 15845.10 crore in BE 2022-23. The reduction  in  the  budget  allocation  is  mainly  due  to  the  less  allocation  under Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) in which registration were closed on 31.03.2022. The benefits under ABRY are to be provided for a period of 2 years from the date of registration. The Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-SYM) is a demand driven  voluntary  scheme  in  which  equal  matching  contribution  is  paid  by  the Government of India. The expenditure under the scheme is dependent upon the number of registration. As per the Report on Public Enterprises Survey, out of the total employees Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), around 50.20% employees were from reservation category as on 31.03.2022 as compared to 50.14% as on 31.03.2021. their

The employment  in CPSEs  depends  upon  their requirement as per expansion/investment plan from time to time.

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