Budget-2007-08: Rs 198.4 million allocated for 14 job generating projects

An amount of Rs 198.4 million has been allocated in the budget 2007-08 for 14 employment generating projects, including new initiatives, a report of Planning Commission revealed.
In 2006-07, an allocation of Rs 1136.8 million was made in PSDP (public sector development programme) for 12 projects, which was reduced in the 3rd Quarter Review of PSDP to Rs 634.8 million, whereas against the release of Rs 103.61 million up to 3rd quarter, Rs 62.76 million were utilised.
Population of the country is estimated at 159.3 million as on June 30, 2007. Labour force survey 2005-06, shows that 81.49 million or 51.2 percent are males and 77.8 million or 48.8 percent are females. Out of the total population, 51.3 million are in labour force out of which males constitute 41 million or 80 percent whereas females are 10.3 million or 20 percent. Almost 48.2 million people are employed while 3.2 million are unemployed. The government has decided to continue some of the ongoing employment sector projects in FY 2007-08 that were started in the last fiscal.
The project of 'Training of Trainers for Skill Development', costing Rs 12.3 million aims at imparting training in computer operation, radio assembling and repair, dress making and electrician.
The other projects are 'labour market requirements and analysis system' that costs Rs 9.1 million, 'policy planning cell' with a cost of Rs 14 million, and the 'computerisation of the data of outgoing emigrants and returning migrants' with a cost of Rs 25.3 million. All these projects are aimed at exploring new job opportunities for the unemployed ones.
As the eradication of unemployment stands high on economic agenda of the government, the current growth of GDP in the coming fiscal years can generate employment opportunities.
In this respect, Medium Term Development Framework (MTDF) 2005-2010 projects would increase 6.97 million jobs from 43.15 million in 2004-05 to 50.12 million in 2009-10. As per the labour force estimates of 2005-06, the employed labour force stands at 46.94 million, thus 3.18 million jobs need to be created in the next four years to achieve the MTDF targets.