Unemployment Rate Decreased: Centre
The unemployment rate in India has declined significantly from 6.0% in 2017-18 to 3.2% in 2023-24, according to government data presented in the Rajya Sabha.
Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje, in response to a parliamentary query by Imran Pratapgarhi, cited the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) as the official source for employment data. She highlighted the government’s commitment to employment generation through various initiatives, including the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY).
Regarding MGNREGS, she noted that the scheme provides at least 100 days of wage employment annually to rural households, serving as a fallback option when better employment opportunities are unavailable. To address inflation, the government revises wages annually, with a 7% increase in notified wage rates for 2024-25.
The government has also expanded skill development initiatives under the Skill India Mission (SIM), which offers training through Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). Additionally, the National Career Service (NCS) Portal has mobilised over 4.7 crore job vacancies as of February 2025.
Boosting job creation in emerging sectors, the government has reinforced initiatives such as ‘Make in India’ and Atmanirbhar Bharat. The Make in India 2.0 initiative, covering 27 sectors, promotes investment in green energy, digital economy, and manufacturing. The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and PM Gatishakti scheme further aim to enhance economic growth and employment opportunities.
