Parliament Question: Youth Unemployment in Puducherry

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2355 ANSWERED ON 15.12.2025 YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IN PUDUCHERRY

2355. SHRI VE VAITHILINGAM:

Will the Minister of SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to

state:

(a) whether it is a fact that Puducherry has a rising rate of unemployment among youth due to mismatch between available jobs and skills, lack of vocational training centres and in sufficient entrepreneurship opportunities;

(b) if so, the comprehensive details of all skill development programmes, training initiatives, job fairs, start-up support schemes and collaboration with industries undertaken by the Government to provide employment opportunities and enhance employability of youth in Puducherry; and

(c) if not, the reasons therefor and the proposed measures to address youth unemployment in a sustainable and effective manner? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (c): As per the latest estimates of Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24 conducted by the National Sample Survey (NSS) of Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (PLFS), the unemployment rate on usual status for youth of age 15-29 years from UT of Puducherry has decreased from 33.5 percent in 2017-18 to 14.6 percent in 2023-24.

Under the Government of India’s Skill India Mission (SIM) , the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) delivers skill, re-skill and up-skill training through an extensive network of skill development centres under various schemes, viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme

(NAPS) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), to all the sections of the society across the country including Puducherry. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready and equipped with industry relevant skills.

The details of the candidates trained under major schemes of MSDE in Puducherry are as

under:

PMKVY NAPS ITI (Since inception to 31.10.2025) (Since 2018-19 to 31.10.2025) (2018-19 to 2024-25) 35,597 14,080 5,336 The schemes of MSDE are demand driven and training centres under these schemes are set up or engaged on need basis. The details of the training centres engaged under the schemes of

MSDE in Puducherry are as under:

PMKVY 4.0 NAPS Establishments Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) Centres (STT+SP)* 22 268 15 * Short-Term Training (STT) and Special Projects (SP)To align the training programs as per the market needs, 36 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), led by industry leaders in the respective sectors, have been set up which are mandated to identify the skill development needs of respective sectors as well as to determine skill competency standards. National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) has approved 8693 qualifications as per the industry requirements, out of which 2266 qualifications are valid and active, and 6427 qualifications are archived for being not relevant.

MSDE has launched Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) a unified platform that integrates skilling, education, employment, and entrepreneurship ecosystems to provide a life-long array of services. The details of the trained candidates are available on SIDH portal for connecting with potential employers. Through SIDH, candidates can have access to jobs and apprenticeship opportunities. Further, Rozgar Melas and Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Melas

(PMNAMs) have been organized to facilitate the placements and apprenticeship opportunities to the certified candidates across the country including Puducherry.

To create wage- and self-employment opportunities, Government of India has taken various initiatives to promote an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem through entrepreneurship education, training, and advocacy; in addition to the Skill Development training. The details of

various initiatives to promote an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem are as under:

(i) Implementation of schemes/programmes for the entrepreneurship promotion like PM’s Employment Generation Programme; MSE-Cluster Development Programme; Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries; A Scheme for Promoting Innovation, Rural Industry & Entrepreneurship; Startup India; Startup Village Entrepreneurship Program; PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises; Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs Scheme, etc.

(ii) With intent to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation, startups and encouraging investments in the Startup ecosystem of the country, the Government launched the Startup India initiative in January 2016. 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.

(iii) Further, to provide access to credit/loan to youth for establishing business enterprises or start-ups, the Government implements various schemes like Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Stand-Up India, PM Vishwakarma, etc.

(iv) MSDE through its autonomous institutions, i.e, National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), Noida and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship

(IIE), Guwahati conducts Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP) and Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) to promote entrepreneurship across the country including Puducherry. *****