Parliament Question: Employment Status among Youth and Migrant Workers

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3792 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16TH MARCH, 2026 EMPLOYMENT STATUS AMONG YOUTH AND MIGRANT WORKERS 3792. SHRI ZIA UR REHMAN: Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government is aware of high unemployment, underemployment and lack of formal job opportunities in Western Uttar Pradesh, particularly among youth and migrant workers; (b) if so, the details thereof along with employment generation programmes and labour welfare measures implemented by the Government in the said region; (c) whether unemployment and job insecurity remain major concerns in other parts of the country; and (d) if so, the details thereof along with the national action plan to generate sustainable employment by the Government and strengthen labour protections? 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 Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) since 2017-18. As per the latest Annual PLFS reports, the estimated Unemployment Rate (UR) on usual status for youth of age 15-29 years in the country has decreased 17.8% in 2017-18 to 10.2% in 2023-24 and from 16.7% to 9.1% in the State of Uttar Pradesh during the same period. Further, the estimated Worker Population Ratio (WPR) indicating employment (including formal jobs) on usual status for youth of age 15- 29 years in the country has increased from 31.4% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24 & from 28.1% to 39.0% State of Uttar Pradesh during the same period.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 Uttar Pradesh. Employment generation coupled with improving employability is a priority of the Government. Accordingly, Government is implementing various employment generation schemes/ programmes in the country (including Uttar Pradesh). The details of various employment generation schemes/ programmes being implemented by the Government may be seen at https://dge.gov.in/dge/schemes_programmes. Government is also implementing Skill India Mission (SIM) to deliver skill, re-skill and up-skill training through an extensive network of skill development centres/ schools/ colleges /institutes etc. under various schemes, viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the country. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready, equipped with industry relevant skills. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has initiated ‘FutureSkills PRIME’ a programme for Re-skilling/Up-skilling of IT Manpower for Employability in 10 new/emerging technologies including Artificial Intelligence. Government is implementing Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme named as the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana to support employment generation, enhance employability and social security across all sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sector. The scheme with an outlay of Rs 99,446 Crore aims to incentivize the creation of more than 3.5 Crore jobs in the country, over a period of 2 years. Further, 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 jobs from private and government sectors, information on online & offline job fairs, job search & matching, career counselling, vocational guidance, information on skill development courses, skill/training programmes etc. through a digital platform [www.ncs.gov.in].The Ministry of Labour and Employment launched eShram portal (eshram.gov.in) which is a One-Stop-Solution for unorganized workers to have access to various social security schemes, Ministry of Labour and Employment launched the eShram– “One-Stop-Solution” on 21st October 2024. eShram– “One-Stop-Solution” entails integration of different social security/ welfare schemes at single portal i.e., eShram. This enables unorganized workers registered on eShram to access social security schemes and see benefits availed by them so far, through eShram.So far, fourteen (14) schemes of different Central Ministries/ Departments have already been integrated/ mapped with the eShram to extend benefits and access to social security, health insurance and accidental claim to eShram cardholders. The four Labour Codes reduce multiplicity of definitions & authorities, facilitate use of technology, bring transparency & accountability in enforcement. Simultaneously, it strengthens the protection available to workers, including unorganized workers. The new Labour Codes are aligned to provide social security coverage and employment safety nets with emerging technological and economic realities which includes: (i) Universalisation of social security by extending coverage to organized and unorganised workers including gig and platform under the Code on Social Security, 2020, thereby strengthening protection against employment-related vulnerabilities. (ii) Labour protection measures, including re-skilling funds and dispute resolution under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, to facilitate workforce adjustment during structural and technological changes. (iii) Adoption of digital systems, including electronic registration, license, filing of returns and technology-enabled inspections to ensure compliance. *****