Tweak Definition of Job To Include Self-Employed, Says Labour Minister (Photo on X @mansukhmandviya)
New Delhi: Igniting debates and criticism, Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday opined that India needs to redefine jobs to include self-employed people. Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry Global Summit on Skill Development 2024, the minister said that India’s youth is its strength and the definition of a job should be tweaked to include even the self-employed as per the requirement.
The minister, meanwhile, emphasised the need to set skill development with industry requirements to reap the maximum benefits of the demographic dividend.
Read Also: Youth Congress Launches ‘Young India Ke Bol’ Season-5
During the CII global summit, Mandaviya further pointed out that the high growth rate of India in the range of 7-8% will drive an uptick in purchasing power, which will increase consumption, manufacturing, and demand for a skilled workforce. He then said that the skills get automatically generated when demand increases, highlighting the need to link skill enhancement with industry requirements while noting that the mindset of the country’s youth needs to be changed.
Referring to the employment-linked incentive scheme announced in Budget 2024-25, the minister said that cluster-wise mapping of manpower requirements is being done, adding that skills training will be imparted through the hub and spoke model and courses will be developed as per the requirement in each cluster.
Read Also: Jairam Ramesh Cites RBI Deputy Governor For Current Economic Situation
However, Mandaviya’s remark has met with criticism on the social platforms, with several users terming it the best way to avoid job creation. Many criticized the minister, asking him to simply say that the government failed to provide jobs.
Best way to avoid creation of Jobs
— Kulwant Singh (@SinghkKulwant) December 11, 2024
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had earlier alleged data muddling with employment creation data, claiming that the share of salaried formal jobs has decreased while many moved to low productive informal agricultural jobs. The Congress leader had alleged that the statistics captured them as jobs created. “This is why KLEMS data shows an increase in employment during Covid pandemic years, when large sections of the economy fully shut down,” the Congress Rajya Sabha MP said On September 30.
