Registered Unemployed

The Minister of Labour and Employment  Mallikarjun Kharge August 08  informed the Lok Sabha that Government of India is fully aware of magnitude of problem of unemployment among the educated youth in the country. Basic problem in the country is not of unemployment but of under employment. The poor cannot afford to remain unemployed and therefore, unemployment rate among the poor is very low as compared to educated youth who are from the relatively better of economic family background. Higher the level of education attainment, higher is the rate of unemployment. This is because of the fact that they can afford to remain unemployed to search for better employment opportunities. In order to bridge the employment gap to harness the benefit of demographic dividend, Government of India has undertaken Skilled Development Mission to make them more employable for engaging them in more productive employment.

Replying to a written question in the Lok Sabha today th e Minister said that the total number of youth job seekers in the age group of 15-29 year, all of whom may not necessarily be unemployed , registered with employment exchanges as on 31-12-2008 combined for rural and urban areas was 2.70 crore.

Government have taken several steps to reduce unemployment in the country. The focus is on creation of productive employment at a faster pace in order to raise incomes of masses to bring about a general improvement in their living conditions. The job opportunities are created on account of growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), investment in infrastructure development, growth in exports etc.

UNICEF’S Report on the State of the World’s Children-2011 has reported that with 81 million young people out of work, youth unemployment is now a concern in almost every country. Adolescents struggle to find decent work guaranteeing them a foot hold above the poverty line. In many developing countries, the paucity of opportunities for productive full-time employment means that the first experience of work for young people is too often one of waste talent, disillusionment, under employment and continued poverty. However, the observation does not hold good for Indian Labour Market. Recent NSSO survey reveals a major trend of the past five years has been a decline in labour force participation rate. The decline in labour force participation rate could mainly be due to the increase in participation of the young population in education and increase in wages of principal status workers over the years.

Government of India has also been implementing various employment generation programmes, and important ones are: Swarana Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY); Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP); Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) besides entrepreneurial development programmes run by the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises.