Lok Sabha Question No. 5960 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-30
Subject: Skilled Labour Force
Ministry: SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Asked by: Shri Rao Rajendra Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  5960

ANSWERED ON 30.03.2026

## SKILLED LABOUR FORCE

5960.  SHRI RAO RAJENDRA SINGH:

Will  the  Minister  of  SKILL  DEVELOPMENT  AND  ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there is a definition for 'Skilled Labour Force' as per the Government and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the number of persons falling under the category of skilled labour force and its proportion in comparison to the total workforce;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  any  information  regarding  the  role  of  National  Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in enhancing skill development and employability in the country, State/UT-wise and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether any scheme has been approved by the Government to enhance employability, particularly in Rajasthan and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a)  to  (d): 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 Rajasthan. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future-ready and equipped with industry-relevant skills.

As per Chapter 1, para 2(p) of the Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2025, published vide notification No.  GSR  936  (E)  dated  30 th December,2025,'skilled  occupation'  means  an  occupation  which involves skill and competence in its performance through experience on the job or through training as an apprentice in a technical or vocational institute.

Further, as per the latest official estimates of Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the National Sample Survey (NSS) of Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (PLFS) 2023-24, 4.1 per cent of the person of age 15-59 years have received formal vocational/technical training, while another 30.6 per cent received training through informal sources.

The  National  Skill  Development  Corporation  (NSDC),  established  by  the  Ministry  of  Finance, Government of India on 31.07.2008, is a not-for-profit public limited company operating under the provisions of the Companies Act, 1956 (corresponding to section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013). It was conceived as a unique model through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) and is currently under  the  aegis  of  the  MSDE. NSDC  works  with  the  private  sector  to  promote  an  industry responsive skilling eco-system and also serves, as required, as an implementation arm across various schemes of the Government of India to further the mandate and vision of the Government of creating a globally competitive skilled workforce.

Some additional initiatives of the Government to promote wage and self-employment include:

- i. To enhance the overall quality and relevance of vocational training in the country, Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM SETU) scheme inter-alia aims to upgrade 1,000 Government ITIs (200 Hub ITIs and 800 Spoke ITIs) in a Hub and  Spoke  model,  wherein  upgradation  includes  smart  classrooms,  modern  labs,  digital content, and new courses aligned to industry needs. Also, it aims to augment capacity of five NSTIs  located  in  Bhubaneswar,  Chennai,  Hyderabad,  Kanpur,  and  Ludhiana,  including setting-up sector-specific National Centres of Excellence for skilling, with focus on advanced training of trainers with global partnership.
- ii. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) implements Entrepreneurship Development  Programmes  (EDPs) and  Entrepreneurship  Skill  Development  Programmes (ESDPs) through its autonomous institutions viz. the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), Noida and the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati, to promote  entrepreneurship and self-employment ventures. Also, MSDE in collaboration with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform of NITI Aayog, launched Swavalambini - a Women Entrepreneurship Programme in February 2025 in the North Eastern States of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and also in Uttar Pradesh and Telangana.  The  programme  aims  to  cultivate  an  entrepreneurial  mindset  among  female students through Entrepreneurship Awareness  Training (EAP) and  Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP).
- iii. Ministry  of  Micro,  Small  &  Medium  Enterprises  (MSME) is implementing Micro and Small Enterprises  -  Cluster  Development  Programme  (MSE-CDP) across the country. This is a demand driven & Central Sector Scheme. The proposals under the scheme are received from the  State/UT  Governments  to  address  the  common  needs  of  existing  cluster  in  their States/UTs.  Under  MSE-CDP  Scheme,  the  proposal  for  setting  up  of  Common  Facility Centers (CFC) in Rice Mill Cluster, Chandauli in Uttar Pradesh was approved at a total project cost of Rs. 15.00 crore with GoI grant of Rs. 12.0 crore during financial year 2021-22.
- iv. The  incubation  centres  for  supporting  start-up  /new  enterprises  are  being  supported  by various  initiatives/schemes  like  Agri-Business  Incubation  Centres  by  Mo  Agriculture  & Farmers' Welfare, Next Generation Incubation scheme of Mo Electronics & IT, Atal In cubation Centres  of  NITI  Aayog,  Biotechnology  Incubation  Centres  of  D/o  Biotechnology,  PM Formulisation of Micro Food Enterprises of Mo Food Processing Industries, etc.
- v. Further, the Government is also implementing employment generation schemes/programmes like Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya  Yojana  (DDU-GKY),  Rural  Self  Employment  and  Training  Institutes  (RSETIs), Deen Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY- NULM), PM Vikshit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, PM Vishwakarma, and others.

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