Lok Sabha Question No. 1105 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-02
Subject: Higher Unemployment Rate in Maharashtra
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Tatkare Sunil Dattatrey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1105 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02 ND  DECEMBER, 2024

## HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN MAHARASHTRA

## 1105. SHRI TATKARE SUNIL DATTATREY:

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

- (a) whether  it  is  true  that  based  on  available  current  data, Maharashtra State has a higher unemployment rate than the entire country mainly due to the mismatch between the skills held by the worker and the demands of the job market and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  it  is  also  true  that  the  COVID-19  epidemic  has worsened the State's unemployment crisis and resulted in job losses in several industries as specialized skills are necessary for  many  industries  in  the  State  and  there  is  frequently  a discrepancy between  job seekers' skills and employers' demands;
- (c) if  so,  the  details  of  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for improving access to skill-based vocational training programmes  to  better  align  the  workforce  to  meet  the industrial needs; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a) to (d): The data on Employment and Unemployment is collected through Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) which is conducted by the  Ministry  of  Statistics  and  Programme  Implementation  (MoSPI) since 2017-18. The survey period is July to June every year.

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 the years 2017-18 to 2023-24 are as follows:

| Year    | UR (in %)   | UR (in %)   |
|---------|-------------|-------------|
|         | Maharashtra | All-India   |
| 2017-18 | 4.8         | 6.0         |
| 2018-19 | 5.0         | 5.8         |
| 2019-20 | 3.2         | 4.8         |
| 2020-21 | 3.7         | 4.2         |
| 2021-22 | 3.5         | 4.1         |
| 2022-23 | 3.1         | 3.2         |
| 2023-24 | 3.3         | 3.2         |

Source: PLFS

The unemployment rate in Maharashtra declined from 3.7% in 2021 to 3.5% in 2021-22 and further to 3.1% in 2022-23

As  per  the  Reserve  Bank  of  India's  (RBI)  latest  KLEMS  (K: Capital,  L:  Labour,  E:  Energy,  M:  Materials  and  S:  Services)  data, employment  in  the  country,  including  Maharashtra,  increased  to 64.33 crore in year 2023-24 compared to 47.5 crore in 2017-18. Total increase  in  employment  during  2017-18  to  2023-24  is  about  16.83 crore.

Under the Government of India's Skill India Mission (SIM), the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) delivers skill,  re-skill  and  up-skill  training  through  an  extensive  network  of skill development centres/ institutes etc. under various schemes, viz. Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Vikas  Yojana  (PMKVY),  Jan  Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and  Craftsman  Training  Scheme  (CTS)  through  Industrial  Training Institutes (ITIs), to all the sections of the society across the country including the State of Maharashtra. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready, equipped with industry relevant skills.

Further,  Government  announced  in  the  Budget  2024-25,  the Prime Minister's package of 5 schemes and initiatives to facilitate employment, skilling and other opportunities for 4.1 crore youth over a 5-year period with a central outlay of Rs. 2 lakh crores.

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