17.1 crore jobs created since 2014, says Mansukh Mandaviya

New Delhi: Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday said that 17.1 crore jobs were created in the country in a decade from 2014 to 2024, and 4.6 crore of these employments were added in the past year alone.

Addressing a post-budget webinar, he noted a significant drop in unemployment rates, from 6 per cent in 2017-18 to 3.2 per cent in 2023-24, and a remarkable rise in female employment from 22 per to 40.3 per cent in the same period.

The minister attributed these achievements to the government's progressive policies that have strengthened the country's workforce.

Mandaviya also highlighted the impact of the government's social security initiatives, citing the ILO World Social Security Report 2024-26, which showed India's social security coverage doubling from 24.4 per cent to 48.8 per cent.

The expansion of the e-Shram Portal, covering over 30.67 crore unorganised workers, and the inclusion of gig workers under PMJAY, reinforce the government's commitment to workforce welfare, he stated.

The government has also integrated 12 key welfare schemes under e-Shram and has made the portal available in 22 Indian languages, he mentioned.

Additionally, to support workers' families, 10 new ESIC medical colleges have been approved, with plans for 10 more in the pipeline, he added.

Mandaviya reaffirmed that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India's investment in its people is shaping a stronger, self-reliant nation, ensuring long-term benefits for future generations.

Secretary (Labour & Employment) Sumita Dawra drew attention to major strides in modernizing the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), including the enrolment of over 6.2 crore new members in six-and-a-half years and reforms such as centralized pension processing system, auto-settlement of PF claims, and robust IT infrastructure.

Dawra also underscored ESIC's expansion -- from 2.03 crore insured persons in 2014 to 3.72 crore in 2024 -- and the growing healthcare network across 165 hospitals and 1,590 dispensaries.

She emphasised advances in technological development, especially the e-Shram and National Career Service portals, and the G20 Feasibility Study on Development of International Reference Classification which aims to benchmark skills globally by 2026.

Dawra added that integrating women into the platform ecosystem will be pivotal to raising female labour force participation, given the flexibility it offers and the potential to empower millions of aspiring women entrepreneurs and workers.

She reaffirmed the ministry's commitment to working closely with stakeholders to finalise the social security scheme for platform workers.