Employment opportunities to check migration

April 7: Employment generation coupled with improving employability in the country including rural areas and small towns is the priority of the Government. Multi-pronged strategies are being taken by the Government to address issues relating to employment opportunity through Centrally Sponsored Schemes viz. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Deendayal Antyoday Yojana- National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission, National Career Service (NCS) etc.

Further, 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 is providing fiscal stimulus of more than Rs. Twenty Seven lakh crore. This package comprises of various long term schemes/ programmes/ policies for making the country self-reliant and to create employment opportunities.

Aatmanirbhar Bharat RojgarYojana (ABRY) has been launched with effect from 1st October, 2020 as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat package 3.0 to incentivize employers for creation of new employment along with social security benefits and restoration of loss of employment during Covid-19 pandemic. This scheme being implemented through the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), seeks to reduce the financial burden of the employers and encourages them to hire more workers. The terminal date for registration of beneficiaries was extended from 30.06.2021 to 31.03.2022. Benefits of Rs.4378.44/- crore have been provided to 54.67 lakh beneficiaries through 1.38 lakh establishments till 26.03.2022.

Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme has been launched on June 01, 2020 to provide working capital loans to Street Vendors, vending in urban areas, to resume their businesses, which were impacted adversely due to COVID-19. Under this scheme, credit worth Rs. 3,075.85 crore to 29.85 lakh street vendors as on 07.03.2022

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) is being implemented 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. Up to 11.03.2022, 34.08 crore loans were sanctioned under the scheme.

PM Gati Shakti 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 SabkaPrayas 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/programmes like Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Make in India, Startup India, Digital India, Smart City Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, Housing for All, Infrastructure Development and Industrial Corridors for generating employment opportunities.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Shri Rameswar Teli in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.