Urban Joblessness Rate

Urban Joblessness Rate

Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III – Employment

In news Annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) on employment and unemployment is conducted by National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. 

• The annual PLFS data is available upto 2018-19. As per the results of annual PLFS, the unemployment rate for persons of 15 years and above in India to the extent available during 2017-18 and 2018-19 was 6.0% and 5.8%, respectively.   

Initiatives to promote employment by India 

• Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) 
  • Launched on 1st October, 2020 
  • To incentivize employers for creation of new employment along with social security benefits and restoration of employment. 
  • This scheme being implemented through EPFO seeks to reduce the financial burden of the employers and encourages them to hire more workers. 
  • Under ABRY, Government of India is providing for a period of two years, both the employees’ share (12% of wages) and employers’ share (12% of wages) of contribution or only employees’ share of contribution depending on employment strength of the EPFO registered establishments, for new employees whose monthly wage is less than Rs. 15,000/- per month. 
  • The new employees under the scheme includes those who have lost their employment during Covid-19 pandemic and did not join any EPF covered establishment upto 30.09.2020. 
  • The terminal date for registration of beneficiary under the scheme has been extended from 30th June, 2021 to 31st March, 2022.
• Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna (PMGKY): 
  • Government of India has contributed both 12% employer’s share and 12% employee’s share under Employees Provident Fund (EPF), totalling 24% of the wage for the wage month from March to August, 2020 for the establishments having 100 employees with 90% of such employees earning less than Rs. 15000/-. 
  • This has helped in providing employment in EPFO registered establishments during post Covid period. 
• PM- SVANidhi Scheme has facilitated collateral free working capital loan upto Rs.10,000/- for one-year tenure to street vendors, to help them  resume their businesses during the post Covid period. 
• Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) is being implemented by the Government inter alia, for facilitating self-employment. Under PMMY collateral free loans upto Rs. 10 lakh, are extended to micro/small business enterprises and to individuals to enable them to setup or expand their business activities.
• Other initiatives include:
  • Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) 
  • Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), 
  • Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), 
  • Deendayal Antodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM)
  • Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)  

News Source: PIB