Youth employment generation improved as worker participation rose to 58.2%: Government
New Delhi: Youth employment generation improved steadily in recent years, with the worker population ratio rising to 58.2% in 2023-24, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.
According to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey, the worker population ratio for persons aged 15 years and above increased from 46.8% in 2017-18. The data reflected a consistent upward trend in employment over the period.
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation conducts the survey annually from July to June. The government said the findings indicated expanding employment opportunities across sectors.
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, provided this information in a written reply. She said employment generation, along with improving employability, remained a key government priority.
To support youth employment generation, the government continued implementing multiple employment and skill development schemes. These programmes aimed to equip young people with industry-relevant skills.
Under the Skill India Mission, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship delivered training through PMKVY, Jan Shikshan Sansthan and apprenticeship schemes. In addition, Industrial Training Institutes provided skill training under the Craftsmen Training Scheme.
Youth employment generation supported through labour reforms and digital platforms
To strengthen the labour market, the government launched the e-Shram portal in August 2021. The portal created a national database of unorganised workers, including gig and migrant workers.
Moreover, the e-Shram One-Stop Solution enabled registered workers to access multiple social security schemes through a single platform. The initiative aimed to improve coverage and transparency.
The government also implemented four Labour Codes, which came into force on November 21, 2025. These codes simplified 29 central labour laws into a unified framework.
According to the government, the labour reforms reduced regulatory complexity while strengthening worker protections. They also promoted technology-driven enforcement and accountability.
Meanwhile, the National Career Service portal continued to function as a one-stop digital platform for job seekers. The portal offered job listings, career counselling, job fairs and skill programmes.
To expand opportunities, the ministry signed over 35 MoUs with public and private employers. These included partnerships with platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, Amazon and Zepto.
The government integrated the NCS portal with the e-Shram database of over 31 crore unorganised workers. This integration enabled wider access to job-matching services.
In addition, the government launched the Employment Linked Incentive scheme, named the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana. The scheme carried an outlay of ₹99,446 crore.
The programme aimed to incentivise the creation of over 3.5 crore jobs within two years. It placed special emphasis on employment generation in the manufacturing sector.
