Parliament Question: Assessment of Employment Opportunities in Odisha

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1233 ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025 ASSESSMENT OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN ODISHA 1233. SMT. SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO: Will the Minister of SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the Government has conducted any assessment on the potential of rural and social entrepreneurship to create viable employment opportunities for low-skilled youth in economically constrained States, particularly in regions such as Odisha where start-up activity is increasing but labour market gaps persist; (b) if so, the details of findings relating to Odisha, especially regarding the capacity of existing skill training institutes, the demand-supply mismatch in trained manpower along with the utilisation of central programmes such as PM-Vishwakarma, PMKVY 4.0, and the Rural Self- Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) in strengthening entrepreneurship ecosystems; (c) whether district-level data is available for Bolangir on the number of trainees supported under entrepreneurship development initiatives, the availability of incubation and credit-linkage support, and the extent to which such programmes have contributed to local enterprise creation and employment generation; and (d) 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): The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has undertaken a study titled “National Skill Gap Study for High Growth Sectors” under the Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) programme through National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER). The aim of the study is to create a dynamic framework for forecasting sector and State-level skill demand using national data sets and labour market information and identifying reasons for demands-supply mismatch. The study sets up a methodology to locate high growth sectors, job roles and geographic clusters which indicates where new Entreprises and self-employment (including Rural and Social enterprises) are most visible. The Report has been published and has been circulated to all the State Skill Missions for its implementation and replication in conducting State specific skill gap assessments. Further, District Skill Development Plans (DSDPs) are mandated under MSDE’s decentralized planning approach with District Skill Committees preparing annual plans using labour market assessment, sector prioritization and local skill gap analysis. These assessments have enabled the Government to enhance its skill training programmes, curriculum development and skill initiatives to align them with the identified skill gaps, sector- wise upskilling and re-skilling initiatives, apprenticeship, vocational, or on the job trainings; areas of collaboration with industry including opportunities for establishing partnerships; industry led training programmes, internship or mentorship programmes to bridge the gap between industry needs and the skill possessed by the work force.The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship through the Skill India Mission delivers skilling, reskilling and upskilling training through a network of Skill development centers under various schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY 4.0) in which skill development training through Short-Term Training (STT) and up-skilling and re-skilling through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is imparted to the youth across the country including Odisha.As on 31.10.2025, 49,157 candidates have been trained/ oriented in Odisha under PMKVY 4.0 through 322 empanelled Training Centres. Further, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and the Department of Financial Services (DFS) under the Ministry of Finance (MoF) launched the PM-Vishwakarma Scheme to provide “Sammaan, Saamarthya and Samriddhi” to traditional artisans and craft persons working with their hands and tools. Establishment of Training Centres and conducting Training under the scheme is initiated based on the number of candidates available in any particular trade (of the 18 trades covered under the scheme) for each district of any State/ UT. As on 26.11.2025, a total of 84,525 beneficiaries has been trained and assessed in the state of Odisha, out of which 6047 are from the district of Bolangir. Moreover, Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI) is a Bank lead- Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) funded training institution established by the Sponsor Banks in their Districts, to provide training for Skill and Entrepreneurship Development. Currently 30 RSETIs in Odisha are active across most districts and contribute significantly to micro-enterprise creation. From the inception of the scheme till October 2025, a total of 9226 beneficiaries has been trained in Bolangir district of Odisha, out of which 7580 have started their own micro enterprises. Further, MSDE, through its autonomous Institutes, namely National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) has taken various initiatives to promote entrepreneurship development amongst all sections of the society, including rural youth of Bolangir, Odisha. MSDE has also collaborated with both private and public sector to empower entrepreneurs by providing incubation support, network of mentors, industry connect, credit and market linkages. The details of such initiatives undertaken by the Ministry are placed at Annexure I. There are various schemes/ programmes being implemented by other Ministries/ Departments of Government of India with the objective of skill development and promotion of entrepreneurship including in the state of Odisha. The details of some of the key initiatives implemented by other Ministries/ Departments in the state of Odisha are at Annexure II.ANNEXURES REFERRED TO IN REPLY OF PART (a) to (d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1233 ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025 REGARDING “ASSESSMENT OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN ODISHA” Annexure I The details of various entrepreneurship development initiatives being implemented by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship for entrepreneurs across country, including the state of Odisha are as under: 1. Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) – MSDE, through NIESBUD and IIE, is implementing the skilling and entrepreneurship component of PM JANMAN – a scheme of Ministry of Tribal Affairs for upliftment of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), since March 2024. The scheme focuses on 11 critical interventions related to 9 key Ministries, including MSDE. One of the key interventions of the Ministry is to facilitate skill and entrepreneurship development in Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs). The project is being implemented with support of Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) in 15 States across the country under which a total of 500 VDVKs are to be set up. As on 04.12.2025, a total of 458 VDVKs have been operationalized and a total of 36,684 beneficiaries have been trained under Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) of PM JANMAN, out of which 2328 are trained in Odisha. In Odisha PM JANMAN is being implemented in the districts of Angul, Deoghar, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Kenojhar, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Naupada, Raygada and Sundargarh. 2. Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana Scheme (PM SGMBY Scheme) – The Ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), is organizing Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) on Solar Entrepreneurship under MNRE’s flagship scheme PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. The programme aims to promote rooftop solar adoption, empower entrepreneurs, and create sustainable livelihood opportunities by fostering and mentoring budding and existing entrepreneurs in the field of solar entrepreneurship. Between July 2024 (inception) and 25-11-2025, 20,499 beneficiaries have been trained in the Entrepreneurship Development Programme of the scheme, out of which 2268 are trained in Odisha and 209 in the Bolangir district. 3. Strengthening Entrepreneurial Climate through Capacity Building, Incubation Support, Mentoring, and Handholding under SANKALP Scheme – MSDE, through NIESBUD implemented a project for strengthening the entrepreneurship ecosystem of different marginalized sections of the society and women under the Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) Scheme between December 2022 and March 2025. The scheme aimed at creating, fostering and promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship among the various target groups through Capacity Building, Incubation Support, Mentoring and Handholding. SANKALP has been implemented in three phases. Under SANKALP 1, a total of 23825 beneficiaries were trained during Financial Years 2022-23 to 2024-25. 2950 trained candidates belonged to Odisha including 126 from Bolangir. Under SANKALP 2, a total of 24000 beneficiaries has been trained during Financial Year 2022-23 to 2024-25 including 1050 candidates from Odisha and 180 from Bolangir. Under SANKALP 3, a total of 15000 beneficiaries has been trained during Financial Year 2024-25, out of which 1559 were from Odisha including 248 from Bolangir. 4. Pilot Project for Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP) - NIESBUD implemented a Pilot Project for Entrepreneurship Development Program in 10 States supported by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, from January 2020 to March 2023, which aimed at creating, fostering and promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship among the target groups through Entrepreneurship Development Programme, Mentoring and Handholding support. A total of 5000 beneficiaries were trained under the project during Financial Years 2019-20 to 2022-23, out of which 120 beneficiaries were trained in Bolangir district of Odisha.ANENXURE II The details of various entrepreneurship development initiatives being implemented by other Ministries/ Departments of Government of India for entrepreneurs across country, including the state of Odisha are as under: 1. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) - The Government with an intent to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation, startups and encouraging investments launched the Startup India initiative on 16th January 2016. Under Startup India initiative, the Government constantly undertakes various efforts, including policy, regulatory and fiscal measures, for the development and growth of startup ecosystem. The flagship Schemes, namely, Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS), Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) support startups at various stages of their business cycle. The Government also implements periodic exercises and programs including States’ Startup Ranking, National Startup Awards, and Innovation Week which play an important role in the holistic development of the startup ecosystem. Government also encourages and support ecosystem led initiatives such as Startup Mahakumbh which serve as a vibrant platform for stakeholders to network and collaborate. Initiatives to improve market access and enable public procurement also support startups in growing and scaling up their businesses have also been undertaken. Digital platforms such as the Startup India portal enable easy access to resources and startup ecosystem collaboration. The Government has also taken various measures to enhance ease of doing business including starting up of business, raising capital, and reducing compliance burden to simplify the regulatory environment and create a conducive business environment. As on 31st October 2025, the recognized startups have reported to have created over 21.11 lakh direct jobs. Particularly in the State of Odisha, 3,428 entities have been recognized as startups by DPIIT, which have reported to have created more than 40,400 direct jobs as on 31st October, 2025. In addition to the above programmes, DPIIT also reported the following initiatives undertaken by line Ministries and Departments to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among youth: i. The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog fosters innovation and entrepreneurship among India’s youth through flagship programs like Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) and the Community Innovator Fellowship (CIF). ii. The Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell (MIC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) promotes innovation and entrepreneurship across educational institutions. iii. Youth-centric initiatives have been introduced by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports such as setting up of the autonomous body called Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), the purpose of it, is to provide an over-arching institutional mechanism powered by technology for youth development and youth-led development through Experiential Learning Programs (ELPs), volunteering opportunities, mentorship programme, etc. iv. Under the Department of Science & Technology, the Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Scheme has been approved to incentivize private sector participation in research and development (R&D). Further, DST is implementing the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) to promote innovation and entrepreneurship among the youth. The initiative comprises NIDHI-PRAYAS (prototype grant support), NIDHI- EIR (Entrepreneur-in-Residence fellowships), NIDHI-iTBI (Inclusive TBIs in Tier-II and Tier-III regions). v. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) through its constituent laboratories/institutes, is implementing the “Integrated Skill Initiative Program”, intending to equip young minds with the necessary technological skills through conducting training programs and workshops. vi. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has established biotechnology incubation and pre- incubation centres across States & Union Territories (UTs) under the BioNEST (Bioincubators Nurturing Entrepreneurship for Scaling Technologies) and E-YUVA (Encouraging Youth for Undertaking Innovative Research Activities) schemes. 2. Ministry of Rural Development’s Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU- GKY) is a placement-linked skill development program for rural poor youth in the age group of 15- 35 years. It empowers the rural poor youth with employable skills and facilitates their participation inregular labour markets, thus providing them with jobs having regular monthly wages at or above the minimum wages. DDU-GKY guidelines provide for earmarking 50% of the funds for SCs and STs. Under DDUGKY, coverage of 15% minorities, 5% of PwDs & 33% of women is mandatory. The self and gig- employment have been provisioned in the phase 2 of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) with effect from 01.04.2025. As per the DDU-GKY 2.0 Guidelines, the States/UTs are required to conduct the Skill Gap Assessment. ORMAS (Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society) under the aegis of Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, Government of Odisha has sanctioned a Skill Gap Study for the State of Odisha to assess existing employment potential, including rural and social entrepreneurship opportunities. Work order for conducting the study has already been issued to the selected agency. 3. Ministry of MSME, through Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), is implementing Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). It is central sector scheme generating employment opportunities primarily in rural areas by assisting prospective entrepreneurs in setting up new micro enterprises in the non-farm sector across the country. PMEGP assists General Category beneficiaries with Margin Money (MM) subsidy of 25% of the project cost in rural areas and 15% in urban areas. For beneficiaries belonging to Special Categories such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, Minorities, Women, Ex-servicemen, Physically Handicapped, Transgenders, beneficiaries belonging to Northeastern Region (NER), Hill and Border areas, and Aspirational Districts, the Margin Money subsidy is 35% in rural areas and 25% in urban areas. Own contribution of beneficiaries under Special Category is 05% and 10% for General Category beneficiaries. The maximum cost of project is Rs. 50 lakhs in the manufacturing sector and Rs. 20 lakhs in the service sector. Own contribution of beneficiaries under Special Category is 05% and 10% for General Category beneficiaries. Initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of MSME under PMEGP to promote entrepreneurship and create job opportunities in NER, are as follows: i. Enhancement of maximum project cost from Rs. 25 lakh to Rs. 50 lakh for manufacturing sector and from Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 20 lakh for service sector. ii. Inclusion of applicants from Aspirational districts and transgenders under special category eligible for higher subsidy. iii. Acceptance of PMEGP applications from beneficiaries in physical form in 19 regional languages since June 2025 excluding Hindi and English i.e., Gujarati, Malayalam, Punjabi, Manipuri, Bangla, Marathi, Tamil, Assamese, Kannada, Kannada, Odiya, Telugu, Bodo, Dogri, Kashmiri, Konkani, Nepali, Sindhi, Urdu, Maithili. iv. Enhancing the scope of activities by modifying Negative list to allow more activities under Animal Husbandry like dairy, poultry, aquaculture and sericulture. Furthermore, as a special case, piggery, a major source of livelihood in NER, is allowed in NER States. v. All new micro enterprises assisted to mandatorily register under Udyam Portal before physical verification to ensure formalization of the unit and enable access to key MSME benefits. vi. A wide range of more than 1,000 Model of Detailed Project Reports have been prepared on various industries and made available on the PMEGP online portal. Number of micro enterprises assisted, Margin Money subsidy disbursed, estimated employment generated under PMEGP in Bolangir district during, FY 2020-21 to 2025-26 (as on 3.12.2025): S. Financial No. of Units Margin Money Subsidy Estimated Employment No. Year Assisted (Rs. Cr) Generated 1 2020-21 134 3.02 1072 2 2021-22 187 3.96 1496 3 2022-23 189 4.33 1512 4 2023-24 111 3.96 888 5 2024-25 71 1.79 568 6 2025-26 127 3.00 10164. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is implementing the Establishment of Agri- Clinics and Agri-Business programme under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE) of umbrella scheme Krishonnati Yojana, across the country, including Odisha, to promote entrepreneurship in agriculture and create gainful self-employment opportunities to unemployed candidates with desirable educational qualifications and supplement efforts of public extension, since 2002. The programme is open to different categories of candidates of age group of 21 to 60 years. Graduates in agriculture and allied subjects, life sciences (Botany, Zoology and Chemistry), Environmental Science and Diploma holders (3-year diploma after Higher Secondary) in agriculture and allied subjects are eligible for training under the programme. The selected candidates get 45 days free residential training from various Nodal Training Institutes (NTIs) across the country, under the supervision of National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad. The scheme covers full financial support for training and handholding, facilitation for loan for establishment of agriventures and credit linked back ended composite subsidy. Subsidy is at 36% for General Category and 44% for Women/SC/ ST/ PwD/ NEH candidates on the Total Financial Outlay (TFO) of the project subject to the ceiling on TFO of Rs.20 lakhs for individual projects and Rs.100 lakhs for group projects established by a group of five trained persons, disbursed through National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Mumbai. Established agriventures are providing employment opportunities for self as well as additional people depending on the nature and volume of business. In the State of Odisha, so far 643 candidates have been trained which includes 3 candidates from Bolangir district. A total of 116 candidates has established their agriventures including 1 candidate from Bolangir district. *****