'Govt to create 58 mn job opportunities for labourers'

Government today said labour force in the country has seen an increase of nearly three per cent from 1995 to 2000 and the Eleventh Five Year Plan aimed at creating 58 million job opportunities for them.     

Quoting National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) figures, Minister of State of Labour and Employment, Harish Rawat informed the Lok Sabha today that the Eleventh Five Year Plan aims at creating 58 million job opportunities aimed at alleviating poverty.     

"The focus is also on productive employment at a faster pace than before, and target agriculture growth at four per cent per annum in order to raise the incomes of masses of the rural population," he added.     

The minister informed the House that labour force on "usual status basis" has increased from 406.06 million in 1999-2000 to 469.94 million in 2004-05, registering an average growth rate of 2.97 per cent per annum.     

Rawat said the government is implementing various employment generation and poverty alleviation programmes like Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY), Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) and NREGS.