Executive Summary:
This document is the response from the Minister of State for Labour and Employment to questions raised in Lok Sabha regarding the India Employment Report 2024. It addresses concerns about declining youth economic participation and unemployment rates, particularly in Rajasthan, and details government initiatives to address these issues. The data cited is primarily from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) and covers the period from 2017-18 to 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Unemployment Rates:**
* The unemployment rate (UR) for youth aged 15-29 years in India decreased from 17.8% in 2017-18 to 10.2% in 2023-24.
* In Rajasthan, the UR for the same age group decreased from 13.4% in 2020-21 to 12.4% in 2023-24.
* As of May 2025, the unemployment rate on Current Weekly Status (CWS) for persons aged 15 years and above was 5.1% in rural areas and 6.9% in urban areas.
* **Employment Trends in Rajasthan:**
* The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) in rural Rajasthan increased from 50.3 in 2017-18 to 67.0 in 2023-24, indicating increased employment.
* **National Career Service (NCS):**
* INR 375.39 crore allocated, with INR 210.88 crore spent from FY 2020-21 to FY 2025-26.
* 89,437 jobseekers registered in Churu district, Rajasthan.
* **eShram:**
* Over 30.94 crore unorganized workers registered on the eShram portal as of July 15, 2025.
* 4,27,282 registrations in Churu district, Rajasthan.
* INR 1176.84 crore allocated, with INR 479.38 crore utilized.
* **Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PMSYM):**
* INR 1478.25 crore allocated, with INR 1308.47 crore spent.
* 458 beneficiaries enrolled in Churu district, Rajasthan.
* **Government Initiatives:**
* The government is implementing various employment generation schemes, including PMEGP, MGNREGS, DAY-NRLM, DDUGKY, RSETIs, DAY-NULM, PM SVANidhi, and PMMY.
* The Union Cabinet has approved the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme to support employment generation.
Impact Analysis:
* **Job Seekers/Unemployed Youth:**
* Impact: Benefit from decreasing unemployment rates and increased government initiatives aimed at employment generation.
* Action Required: Utilize the National Career Service (NCS) portal and other government schemes to find employment opportunities.
* **Unorganized Workers:**
* Impact: Access to social security benefits and schemes through eShram registration.
* Action Required: Register on the eShram portal to avail benefits.
* **Government (Ministry of Labour and Employment):**
* Impact: Accountable for implementing and monitoring employment generation schemes and achieving targeted outcomes.
* Action Required: Continue to implement and monitor employment schemes, allocate funds effectively, and address areas with high unemployment.
Key Entities Referenced
International Labour Organization: An international organization focused on labour issues.
Institute for Human Development: An institute that works on human development issues.
Periodic Labour Force Survey: A survey conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation to measure employment and unemployment indicators in India.
Rajasthan: A state in India, specifically mentioned in the context of unemployment rates and the impact of economic shocks.
National Career Service: A scheme aimed at providing career-related services.
eShram: A portal for registering unorganized workers in India.
Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan: A pension scheme for unorganized workers.
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation: The ministry responsible for conducting the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) in India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 39
TO BE ANSWERED ON 21st JULY, 2025
INDIA EMPLOYMENT REPORT, 2024
39. SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that as per the India Employment Report 2024
(International Labour Organization and Institute for Human Development),
youth economic participation declined to 37 per cent in 2022 and the
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) (May 2025) pegs national
unemployment at 5.6 per cent, and if so, the details thereof along with
the updated rural-urban unemployment rate in the country, including
district-wise in Rajasthan;
(b) whether it is also a fact that unemployment in Rajasthan for the year
2020, 2022 and 2025 differs across age groups 15–24, 25–34, and 35+
years, and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has reviewed the impact of economic shocks
like COVID-19 Goods and Sales Tax (GST), and demonetization on
employment in rural areas of Rajasthan and if so, the details thereof;
(d) the details of the funds allocated and utilized under the schemes like
National Career Service (NCS), e-Shram and Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi
Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) since 2020 along with enrollment from Churu; and
(e) the details of the targeted employment initiatives planned for high-
unemployment districts in the country?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (e): The official data source of Employment/ Unemployment indicator in
India is the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 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 youth of age 15-29 years in the
country has decreased from 17.8% in 2017-18 to 10.2% in 2023-24 which is
lower than the global unemployment rate of youth of 13.3 per cent [As per
World Employment and Social Outlook Trends, 2024 published by International
Labour Organization (ILO)]. Further, the Unemployment Rate on usual status
for youth of age 15-29 years for the State of Rajasthan has decreased from
13.4% in 2020-21 to 12.4% in 2023-24.
Also, MoSPI has revamped PLFS from January 2025. As per monthly PLFS
reports, the Unemployment Rate (UR) on Current Weekly Status (CWS) for
persons of age 15 years and above in rural and urban areas were 5.1% and
6.9% respectively in the month of May 2025.As per the latest available Annual PLFS reports, the estimated Worker
Population Ratio (WPR) on usual status for 15 years and above in the rural
areas for the State of Rajasthan has increased from 50.3% in 2017-18 to 67.0%
in 2023-24 which indicates the increase in employment through various
Government schemes/ programmes/ interventions.
Under National Career Service (NCS), since Financial Year (FY) 2020-21
to FY 2025-26, a total of Rs. 375.39 crore has been allocated with an
expenditure amounting to Rs. 210.88 crore (till 30th June, 2025). A total of
89,437 jobseekers were registered in the district of Churu, Rajasthan.
Under, eShram, as on 15th July, 2025, over 30.94 crore unorganised
workers have already registered on eShram Portal in the country and the total
number of registration in the district of Churu in Rajasthan is 4,27,282.
A total of Rs. 1176.84 crore were allocated and Rs. 479.38 crore were
utilised under eShram scheme.
Under Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM), as on 14th July,
2025, a total of Rs. 1478.25 crore has been allocated with an expenditure
amounting to Rs. 1308.47 crore. 458 beneficiaries are enrolled in Churu district
of Rajasthan under this scheme.
Employment generation coupled with improving employability of the
youth is a priority of the Government. Accordingly, Government is implementing
various employment generation schemes/ programmes. These inter-alia include
Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), 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), Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), 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.
*****