MP Vikram Sahney demands Separate Ministry for Employment and Livelihoods
Press Release
04-02-2024
MP Vikram Sahney demands Separate Ministry for Employment and Livelihoods
In a strong and statistics-driven speech in Rajya Sabha, MP Dr. Vikramjit Singh Sahney raised deep concerns over the alarming rate of unemployment in the country, despite government initiatives aimed at economic growth. He demanded for a separate ministry for Employment Generation and Livelihoods.
Dr. Sahney said that IITs and NIITs are India’s premier institutions and it’s alarming that nearly 38% of IIT and NIIT graduates remained unplaced last year, While as per International Labour Organisation report educated unemployment in India was 65.7% in 2022, with 83% of the unemployed being youth. On an average a student invests around 60-70 lakhs from KG to PG but still remains unemployed.
Dr. Sahney stated that India must create 7.85 million non-farm jobs annually until 2030 to meet workforce demands, as per the Economic Survey. As of today, over 30 lakh government posts remain vacant. Shockingly, over 1 lakh youth applied for sweeper jobs in Haryana last year, similarly in UP, 10 lakh applied for just 411 teacher vacancies.
Dr. Sahney stated that the employment crisis extends to the private sector as well with the Indian IT industry witnessing a 40% decline in new hiring in 2024, worsening job opportunities for youth. While AI and automation could replace 69% of IT and service sector jobs by 2040, displacing millions. “Without proper Vocational training and reskilling programs, this shift will further deepen the unemployment crisis,” Dr. Sahney added
Dr. Sahney highlighted the gap between policy intent and implementation in self-employment schemes, PM MUDRA Yojana and Startup India aim to provide collateral-free loans, but stringent banking conditions make access difficult. Even education loans require heavy guarantees, limiting opportunities for many, 83% of MUDRA loans were under ₹50,000 which is too meagre an amount to start a dignified business.