NEW DELHI: India needs to create 100 million new employment opportunities over the coming decade as it looks to encash its demographic surge, improve labour force participation and bring those at the marginal employment level into full employment.
This has been highlighted in a PwC’s Strategy report, ‘Nagarik: Inclusive growth through large-scale employment generation’, released Tuesday. It looks at how smaller districts can be linked to markets to create employment.
The report mentions that India has a lower labour force participation rate (LFPR) — 57% in 2014 — compared to the global average (63.5%). A key reason is the poor participation of women — out of the 390 million women in the working age group, only 29% are in the labour force. “India will need to increase its LFPR by providing greater opportunities to its working population while focusing on women and encouraging them to enter the workforce,” the report says. The report says in many parts of the country, the number of employment days stands below the 180-day threshold, qualifying them as marginally employed.
Shyamal Mukherjee, chairman, PwC in India, said, “Generating gainful employment, especially in the smaller districts, where majority of India reside, allows inclusive growth.”