Lok Sabha Question No. 2323 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-18
Subject: Reduce the Rural Unemployment Rate
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Dibyendu Adhikari

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

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2323

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH  DECEMBER, 2023

REDUCE THE RURAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

2323.    SHRI DIBYENDU ADHIKARI:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to reduce rural and urban unemployment rate to 5 per cent by 2024-25; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the steps to be taken to achieve the target?

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## ANSWER (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a)  &  (b):  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 every year. The latest available Annual PLFS report is for the period July, 2022 to June, 2023.

As per the latest available Annual PLFS Reports, the estimated Unemployment Rate (UR) on usual status for persons of age 15 years and above during 2020-21 to 2022-23 is as follows:

(in %)

| Year    |   Rural |   Urban |   All India |
|---------|---------|---------|-------------|
| 2020-21 |     3.3 |     6.7 |         4.2 |
| 2021-22 |     3.2 |     6.3 |         4.1 |
| 2022-23 |     2.4 |     5.4 |         3.2 |

Source: PLFS, MoSPI

The  data  indicates  that  the  unemployment  rate  in  the  country  has  a declining trend over the years, in both rural and urban areas.

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,  both  rural  and  urban areas.

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. 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.

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