Lok Sabha Question No. 2728 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-09
Subject: Status of Employment in Bundelkhand Region
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Narayandas Ahirwar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2728 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09 TH  MARCH, 2026

## STATUS OF EMPLOYMENT IN BUNDELKHAND REGION

## 2728.      SHRI NARAYANDAS AHIRWAR :

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that the situation of unemployment in Bundelkhand region is serious due to limited employment opportunities and this is increasing the tendency of migration among the youth of the region in search of their livelihood;
- (b) if  so,  the  concrete  steps  taken  by  the  Government  so  far  to  create permanent and local employment in the Bundelkhand region;
- (c) whether the Government is considering to launch any special scheme or package to encourage agro-based industries, small and cottage industries and self-employment in the said region and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to strengthen employment exchanges in every district of Bundelkhand and take any comprehensive and  effective  initiative  to  connect  the  youth  with  skill  development, training and employment; and
- (e)
- if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a)  to  (e):    The  official  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.

As per the latest available Annual PLFS reports, the estimated Unemployment Rate (UR) on usual status for persons of age 15 years and above has decreased from 6.0% in 2017-18 to 3.2% in 2023-24. Further, Unemployment Rate (UR) on usual status for persons of age 15 years and above in  Uttar  Pradesh  and  Madhya  Pradesh -including  Bundelkhand  region  has decreased from 6.2% in 2017-18 to 3.1% in 2023-24 and 4.3% in 2017-18 to 1.0% in 2023-24, respectively.

Government  is  implementing  Prime  Minister's  Employment  Generation Programme  (PMEGP)  under  the  administrative  control  of  Ministry  of  MSME through Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), for assisting entrepreneurs in setting up of new  micro-enterprises including cottage industries involved in activities such as agro-based food processing, beekeeping, textiles, leather, etc in the country including Bundelkhand region.

Employment  generation  coupled  with  improving  employability  is  a priority  of  the  Government.  Accordingly,  Government  is  implementing  various employment  generation  schemes  across  the  country  (including  Bundelkhand Region).  The  details  of  various  employment  generation  schemes/programmes being implemented by the Government may be seen at https://dge.gov.in/dge/schemes\_programmes .

Government is implementing Skill India Mission (SIM) to deliver skill, reskill  and  up-skill  training  through  an  extensive  network  of  skill  development centres/ schools/ colleges /institutes etc. under various schemes, viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship  Promotion  Scheme  (NAPS)  and  Craftsmen  Training  Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the country. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready, equipped with industry relevant skills.

In addition, the  Government is implementing Employment Linked Incentive  (ELI)  Scheme  named  as  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Viksit  Bharat  Rozgar Yojana  to  support  employment  generation,  enhance  employability  and  social security  across  all  sectors,  with  special  focus  on  the  manufacturing  sector. The scheme with an outlay of Rs 99,446 Crore aims to incentivize the creation of more than 3.5 Crore jobs in the country, over a period of 2 years.

Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, is running the National Career Service (NCS) Portal which is a one-stop solution for providing career related services including information on jobs from private and government sectors, online & offline job fairs, job search & matching, career counselling, vocational guidance,  skill development  courses,  skill/training programmes etc. through a digital platform [www.ncs.gov.in].

One of the objectives of the NCS  scheme  is to transform the employment  exchanges  to  Model  Career  Centres  (MCCs).  These  centres connect local youth and other job- seekers with job opportunities through use of technology as well as career counselling and training. As such these Model Career  Centres  (MCCs)  act  as  a  hub  for  organizing  job  fairs,  mobilising  the employers, providing career counselling at local level etc. in collaboration with States and  other  institutions  for  the  jobseekers  and  employers  through outreach activities. Till date, 39 Model Career Centres have been approved in the State of Uttar Pradesh and 13 in the State of Madhya Pradesh including in Bundelkhand region.

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