Unemployment in India: Perspective

Unemployment in India: Perspective

Question: The previous survey (2011-2012) on employment and unemployment in the nation suggests the need for rapid measures to contain this problem. Discuss.

- According to 2011-2012 NSSO results, estimated unemployed persons on usual status basis in the nation were 1.06 crore

- Of this, 0.78 crore were in the age group 20 to 59 years

- Number of employed persons (including part and full time) were estimated at 47.4 crore

- As per the survey, there are 978 employment exchanges in the nation which is equivalent to one exchange per 12.4 lakh people

Steps Taken to Counter Unemployment

- GoI has created a separate Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship for meeting the requirements for skill development and removing the disconnect between demand and supply of skilled personnel in different sectors

- Government has established a target to skill 5 crore persons in the 12th plan

- GoI is also imparting training under the following schemes:

- Craftsmen Training Scheme

- Apprenticeship Training Scheme

- Skill Development Initiative Schemes

- Public employment generation programmes have also been proposed such as the following:

- Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act

- Swaran Jayant Shahri Rozgar Yojana

- National Urban Livelihood Mission

- Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY)

- Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP)

- GoI is also promoting labour intensive sectors such as manufacturing, tourism and agro based industries

- For improving employability of youth, close to 20 ministries run skill development schemes across 70 sectors

Facts and Stats

- Data compiled by National Skill Development Agency, around 51.50 lakh persons were provided skill training in 2014-2015 under various schemes

- Vocational training is provided via a network of more than 12,106 ITIs

- Present seating capacity in ITIs is 17.11 lakh

- Total number of educated job seekers on the live register of employment exchanges in the country as in 2012 was about 3.75 crore of which about 45% was 10th pass, 31% 10+2 pass and 24% graduates and post-graduates.