**Executive Summary:**
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2504 concerning employment in the Bundelkhand region, answered on August 4, 2025. It addresses concerns about unemployment rates, migration, and efforts to create employment opportunities. The response outlines various government schemes and initiatives aimed at employment generation and skill development in the region and across India, highlighting decreasing unemployment rates between 2017-18 and 2023-24.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Unemployment Rates:**
* The unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 and above has decreased nationally from 6.0% in 2017-18 to 3.2% in 2023-24.
* In Uttar Pradesh (including Bundelkhand), the rate decreased from 6.2% (2017-18) to 3.1% (2023-24).
* In Madhya Pradesh (including Bundelkhand), the rate decreased from 4.3% (2017-18) to 1.0% (2023-24).
* **Government Initiatives:**
* Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) supports microenterprises, including agro-based and cottage industries.
* Various employment generation schemes are being implemented, including MGNREGS, DAY-NRLM, DDUGKY, RSETIs, DAY-NULM, PM SVANidhi, Stand-up India, Start-up India, PMMY, and PMKVY.
* The Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme supports employment generation and employability, focusing on the manufacturing sector.
* **National Career Service (NCS) Portal:**
* The NCS portal (www.ncs.gov.in) offers career-related services, including job information, career counseling, and skill development course details.
* Employment exchanges are being transformed into Model Career Centres (MCCs) to connect youth with job opportunities through technology, counseling, and training.
* 39 MCCs have been approved in Uttar Pradesh and 13 in Madhya Pradesh, including the Bundelkhand region.
**Impact Analysis:**
* **Youth in Bundelkhand:**
* Impact: Benefit from increased employment opportunities, skill development programs, and career guidance through government schemes and MCCs.
* Action Required: Utilize the NCS portal and engage with MCCs for job searching, skill enhancement, and career counseling.
* **Entrepreneurs:**
* Impact: Access financial assistance and support through PMEGP for establishing microenterprises, including agro-based and cottage industries.
* Action Required: Apply for PMEGP and other relevant schemes to start or expand businesses in the Bundelkhand region.
* **Government (Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of MSME, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation):**
* Impact: Responsible for implementing and monitoring employment generation schemes and initiatives, collecting and reporting employment data.
* Action Required: Continue to implement and improve existing schemes, enhance the NCS portal, and expand the network of MCCs in the Bundelkhand region.
Key Entities Referenced
Bundelkhand region: A region in India encompassing parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, known for its socio-economic challenges including unemployment and migration.
Ministry of Labour and Employment: The Indian government ministry responsible for labour policy, employment, and social security.
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation MoSPI: The Indian government ministry responsible for statistical data collection and analysis, including the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).
Periodic Labour Force Survey PLFS: A survey conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation to collect data on employment and unemployment in India.
Prime Ministers Employment Generation Programme PMEGP: A government scheme implemented through Khadi and Village Industries Commission KVIC to assist entrepreneurs in setting up new microenterprises.
Khadi and Village Industries Commission KVIC: An organization under the Ministry of MSME responsible for implementing the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP).
Uttar Pradesh: A state in northern India, part of which falls within the Bundelkhand region.
Madhya Pradesh: A state in central India, part of which falls within the Bundelkhand region.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2504
TO BE ANSWERED ON 04TH AUGUST, 2025
EMPLOYMENT IN BUNDELKHAND
2504. SHRI NARAYANDAS AHIRWAR:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether the unemployment rate in Bundelkhand region is higher than the
national average and the main reason for the rapidly increasing migration
among the youth as there is lack of livelihood, if so, the details thereof;
(b) the details of the efforts made by the Government to create permanent and
local employment opportunities in the Bundelkhand region;
(c) whether the Government proposes to bring any special scheme to promote
agro-based industries, small and cottage industries and self-employment in
the said region and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) whether the Government proposes to take any concrete initiative to
strengthen employment offices in every district of Bundelkhand and
connect the youth with skill development programmes and if so, the
details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (d) The official data on Employment and Unemployment is collected
through Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) which is conducted by the Ministry
of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) since 2017-18.
As per the latest available Annual PLFS reports, the estimated
Unemployment Rate (UR) on usual status for persons of age 15 years and above
has decreased from 6.0% in 2017-18 to 3.2% in 2023-24. Further, Unemployment
Rate (UR) on usual status for persons of age 15 years and above in Uttar
Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh –including Bundelkhand region has decreased
from 6.2% in 2017-18 to 3.1% in 2023-24 and 4.3% in 2017-18 to 1.0% in 2023-24
respectively.Government is implementing Prime Minister’s Employment Generation
Programme (PMEGP) under the administrative control of Ministry of MSME
through Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), for assisting
entrepreneurs in setting up of new micro-enterprises including cottage
industries involved in activities such as agro-based food processing,
beekeeping, textiles, leather, etc in the country including Bundelkhand region.
Employment generation coupled with improving employability for all
including Bundelkhand region is a priority of the Government. Accordingly,
Government is implementing various employment generation
schemes/programmes. These inter-alia include Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), 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 Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM
SVANidhi), Stand-up India Scheme, Start Up India , Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana
(PMMY), Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), etc. The details of
various employment generation schemes/programmes being implemented by the
Government may be seen at https://dge.gov.in/dge/schemes_programmes.
In addition, the Union Cabinet has approved the Employment Linked
Incentive (ELI) Scheme to support employment generation, enhance
employability and social security across all sectors, with special focus on the
manufacturing sector.
Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India is running the
National Career Service (NCS) Portal which is a one-stop solution for providing
career related services including information on jobs from private and
government sectors, information on online & offline job fairs, job search &
matching, career counselling, vocational guidance, information on skill
development courses, employability enhancement programmes,. etc. through a
digital platform [www.ncs.gov.in]..
One of the objectives of the NCS scheme is to transform the employment
exchanges to Model Career Centres (MCCs). These centres connect local youth
and other job- seekers with job opportunities through use of technology as well
as career counselling and training. As such these Model Career Centres (MCCs)
act as a hub for organizing job fairs, mobilising the employers, providing career
counselling at local level etc. in collaboration with States and other institutions
for the jobseekers and employers through outreach activities. Till date, 39 Model
Career Centres have been approved in the State of Uttar Pradesh and 13 in the
State of Madhya Pradesh including in Bundelkhand region.
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