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Gajendra Singh Addresses 1st G20 Employment Working Group Meeting.

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Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, welcomed the delegates of the G20 Employment Working Group to Jodhpur, India. The Minister acknowledged the hard work and dedication of the members in creating opportunities for decent work and inclusive growth for all.

He appreciated the organizing team and the Co-Chairs from Indonesia and Brazil for their leadership and support. India, being the host country for this event, is honored to lead the G20 in addressing the critical issue of employment and contributing to the shared goal of global prosperity.

Shri Shekhawat emphasized India’s belief in playing a vital role in shaping the future of employment, with its diverse democracy and robust economy. He highlighted the theme of India’s G20 Presidency, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” which underlines the importance of inclusivity, sustainability, and equity in finding solutions to the labor and employment challenges.

The Minister acknowledged the complexity of the global labor market and the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on employment and social security. He spoke about the increased unemployment, the hardships faced by small and medium-sized businesses, and the rise in poverty and income inequality.

He also highlighted the strain on social security systems due to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic and the efforts made by governments to provide economic stimulus and support for workers.

Shri Shekhawat stressed the importance of cooperation and collaboration in finding meaningful solutions to the labor and employment challenges faced globally.

The Government of India has taken several measures to mitigate the economic blow of the pandemic and ensure a relatively faster V-shaped recovery that is inclusive. According to the Minister, the government has provided immediate relief to its citizens through the world’s largest Public Distribution System, distributing food grains to 800 million people to date. Additionally, the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, the world’s largest government-funded health assurance scheme, provides health coverage to over 500 million people.

To incentivize employment, the government has launched the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana with an outlay of Rs. 228 billion. Under this scheme, the government has paid 24% of the wages (12% employees’ and 12% employers’ contribution) towards the Employees’ Provident Fund for two years for establishments employing up to 1000 employees, and the employees’ share of EPF contribution for establishments employing more than 1000 employees for two years.

To support street vendors, the government has provided collateral-free loans to over 3.2 million street vendors to help them resume their businesses. India has a comprehensive social security system, including the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) and the Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), serving over 277 million and 131 million beneficiaries respectively.

The government has also launched the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Man Dhan Yojana, which provides an old-age pension for unorganized workers with a contribution from the government. The e-Shram Portal was created to provide a national database of unorganized workers, including gig and platform economy workers, and over 290 million workers have been registered to date.

The government has also taken initiatives in skilling, such as Standup India, Skill India, and Make in India, and is implementing the National Career Service project to provide employment services for job seekers and employers. So far, over 10 million vacancies have been mobilized under the National Career Service, and the portal also offers free training programs by Microsoft and TCS for registered job seekers.

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