India Sees 36% Increase in Employment Under NDA Government, Says Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on Thursday that employment in India has grown by 36%, reaching 64.33 crore in 2023-24, compared to 47.15 crore in 2014-15. This reflects a significant rise in job creation during the tenure of the NDA government. Mandaviya highlighted that, in contrast, the UPA government saw only a 7% increase in employment between 2004 and 2014, adding just 2.9 crore jobs. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, 17.19 crore new jobs were created from 2014 to 2024, with around 4.6 crore jobs added in the past year alone.

The minister also shed light on sector-specific employment growth. While agriculture employment saw a decline of 16% under the UPA government from 2004 to 2014, it rebounded with a 19% increase between 2014 and 2023. Similarly, the manufacturing sector experienced a 15% rise in employment, compared to just a 6% increase during the UPA’s tenure. The services sector also saw a notable boost, with a 36% growth in employment under the Modi government, a significant jump from the 25% increase under the UPA.

Mandaviya further provided data on key employment indicators, stating that the unemployment rate has dropped from 6% in 2017-18 to 3.2% in 2023-24. The employment rate (WPR) has risen from 46.8% to 58.2%, and the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) increased from 49.8% to 60.1%.

The minister also emphasized the surge in youth participation in the formal job market, revealing that over 4.7 crore young individuals, aged 18 to 28 years, have joined the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) between September 2017 and September 2024. This surge marks a key development in the government’s efforts to boost formal employment among India’s youth.