NEW DELHI: Just a few months ago a ruling party MP Harinarayan Rajbhar had caused embarrassment to the government by countering its claim that jobs were being created since NDA came to power in 2014. As expected the uninspiring job growth last week triggered concerns about the strength of mechanism put in place by the various arms of the government. The Express has accessed a Cabinet Secretariat note that directs union ministries and central departments to help in pushing solid growth.
“Make specific recommendations for job creation, harnessing the demographic dividend and for meeting the rising aspirations of weaker sections of society,” the cabinet note said.
The government has asked the top bureaucrats in the Ministries to suggest new policy initiatives in the light of emerging trends. Another major task for the babus is to identify 7 challenges that is affecting a particular sector and how they can be tackled. They have been told to “review processes, procedures and institutions with focus on citizen centric simplification and fast tracking of services.”
A recent survey released by the Labour Bureau in April for quarter ending January 1, 2017 suggested that there was an overall increase of 1.22 lakhs workers over the previous quarter across 8 sectors at all India level.The report said Manufacturing, trade, transport, IT/BPO, education and health sectors contributed with an estimated increase of total 1.23 lakhs workers whereas there was a decline of total 0.01 thousand workers in construction sector. Out of the total estimated change in employment of 1.22 lakhs, female workers accounted a change of 52 thousand employment and male workers accounted a change of 70 thousand employment. Trade sector observed a total change of merely 7 thousand in comparison to October last year including 5 thousand males and 2 thousand females. The government had earlier launched various schemes while encouraging private sector of economy with increasing public expenditure on Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana and National Urban Livelihoods Mission for creating more employment opportunities for job seekers.
“The implementation strategies may be framed keeping in the view the different priorities and capabilities of various state government with the focus on reducing regional disparities. Point out the possibilities of convergence between programmes and schemes of various Ministries. Recommend new tax and non-tax initiatives for the budget 2017-18, with emphasis on creative, innovative and practical ideas for each department,” the note further added.