Lok Sabha Question No. 1412 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-09
Subject: Unemployment Support and Employment Trends in Punjab
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Charanjit Singh Channi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1412 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09 TH  FEBRUARY, 2026

## UNEMPLOYMENT SUPPORT AND EMPLOYMENT TRENDS IN PUNJAB 1412.     SHRI CHARANJIT SINGH CHANNI:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  rising  unemployment  and underemployment in Punjab particularly among youth and industrial workers;
- (b) if  so,  the  latest  unemployment  rate  and  sector-wise  job  losses reported in the State;
- (c) whether  any  special  employment  generation  or  social  security schemes have been implemented for Punjab; and
- (d) if  so,  the  details  of  beneficiaries  covered,  funds  released  and outcomes achieved?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (d):  The  official  data  on  Employment  and  Unemployment  is collected through Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), which is conducted  by  Ministry  of  Statistics  and  Programme  Implementation (MoSPI) since 2017-18.

As per the latest 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 and the estimated UR for youth of age 15-29 years has decreased from 17.8% to 10.2%  during  the  same  period.  Also,  the  estimated  UR  in  the  State  of Punjab for persons of age 15 years and above has decreased from 7.7% to  5.5%  &  for  youth  of  age  15-29  years  has  decreased  from  21.6%  to 18.8% during the same period.

Further,  the  estimated  Worker  Population  Ratio  (WPR)  indicating employment on usual status in the State of Punjab for persons of age 15 years and above has increased from 42.9% in 2017-18 to 52.7% in 202324 and the estimated WPR for youth of age 15-29 years has increased from 31.1% to 37.8% during the same period.

Employment  generation  coupled  with  improving  employability (including for youth of Punjab) is a priority of the Government. Accordingly, Government is implementing various employment generation schemes/ programmes in the country. 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  also  implementing  Skill  India  Mission  (SIM)  to deliver skill, re-skill 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.

Ministry  of  Electronics  and  Information  Technology  (MeitY)  has initiated  'FutureSkills  PRIME'  a  programme  for  Re -skilling/Up-skilling  of IT Manpower for Employability in 10 new/emerging technologies including Artificial Intelligence.

The Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment  launched  eShram  portal (eshram.gov.in) which is a One-Stop-Solution for unorganized workers to have access to various social security schemes, Ministry of Labour and Employment launched the eShram -'One -StopSolution' on 21st October 2024. eShram -'One -StopSolution' entails integration of different social security/  welfare  schemes  at  single  portal  i.e.,  eShram.  This  enables unorganized  workers  registered  on  eShram  to  access  social  security schemes and see benefits availed by them so far, through eShram.So far, fourteen (14) schemes of different Central Ministries/ Departments have already been integrated/ mapped with the eShram to extend benefits and access  to  social  security,  health  insurance  and  accidental  claim  to eShram cardholders.

The  new  Labour  Codes  are  aligned  to  provide  social  security coverage and employment safety nets with emerging technological and economic realities which includes:

(i) Universalisation of social security by extending coverage to organized and unorganised workers including gig and platform under the Code on Social Security, 2020, thereby strengthening protection against employment-related vulnerabilities. (ii) Labour protection measures, including re-skilling funds and dispute resolution under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, to facilitate workforce adjustment during structural and technological changes. (iii) Adoption  of  digital  systems,  including  electronic  registration, license,  filing  of  returns  and  technology-enabled  inspections  to  ensure compliance. 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. Further, 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 jobs from private and  government  sectors,  information  on  online  &  offline  job  fairs,  job search & matching, career counselling, vocational guidance, information on  skill  development  courses,  skill/training  programmes  etc.  through  a digital platform [www.ncs.gov.in].

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