The Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 is applicable on the factories and establishments employing 20 or more persons engaged in any of the 197 class of establishments/schedule of industries and employees with monthly EPF wages up to Rs.15,000/- only are statutorily required to be enrolled as members. The number of members registered under Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) for the past five years, is under:-

 

 

Employment generation coupled with improving employability is the priority of the Government. Accordingly, the Government of India has taken various steps for generating employment in the country.

The Government of India has announced Aatmanirbhar Bharat package to provide stimulus to business and to mitigate the adverse impact of Covid-19. Under this package, the Government has provided fiscal stimulus of more than Rupees Twenty Seven lakh crore.

The Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) was launched with effect from 1st October, 2020 to incentivize employers for creation of new employment and restoration of loss of employment during Covid-19 pandemic. The terminal date for registration of beneficiaries was 31.03.2022. Since inception of the scheme, till 19.01.2024, benefits have been provided to 60.49 lakhs beneficiaries under the scheme.

The Government is implementing Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbharNidhi (PM SVANidhi Scheme) since June 01, 2020 to facilitate collateral free working capital loan to street vendors to restart their businesses, which were adversely impacted during the Covid-19 pandemic. As on 31.01.2024, 83.67 lakh loans have been sanctioned under the scheme.

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) was launched by the Government for facilitating self-employment. Under PMMY, collateral free loans upto Rs. 10 lakh, are extended to micro/small business enterprises and to individuals to enable them to setup or expand their business activities. Upto 26.01.2024, 46.16 crore loans were sanctioned under the scheme.

The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme is being implemented by the Government with an outlay of Rs. 1.97 lakh crore, for a period of 5 years starting from 2021-22 which have potential for creating 60 lakh new jobs.

PM GatiShakti is a transformative approach for economic growth and sustainable development. The approach is driven by seven engines, namely, Roads, Railways, Airports, Ports, Mass Transport, Waterways and Logistics Infrastructure. This approach is powered by Clean Energy and Sabka Prayas leading to huge job and entrepreneurial opportunities for all.

The Government of India is encouraging various projects involving substantial investment and public expenditure on schemes like Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and Deen Dayal Antodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) etc. for employment generation. The Government is implementing a programme for skilling of rural youth for entrepreneurship development through Rural Self Employment and Training Institutes (RSETIs).

Further, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is implementing the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) Scheme and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to enhance the employability of youth.

Besides these initiatives, various flagship programmes of the Government such as Make in India, Start-up India, Stand-up India, Digital India, Housing for All etc. are also oriented towards generating employment opportunities.

This information was given by Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shri Rameshwar Teli in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

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MJPS/NSK

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