Unemployment is a major economic and social issue in India. The unemployment rate in India was 6.1% in 2018, which is relatively high compared to other developing countries. The problem of unemployment is more severe in rural areas, where the majority of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihoods.
There are several reasons for the high level of unemployment in India. One of the major reasons is the slow pace of industrialization and the lack of job opportunities in the manufacturing sector. India has been slow in shifting its employment from agriculture to manufacturing and services, which has resulted in a large number of underemployed and unemployed people in the country.
Another reason for high unemployment in India is the lack of skills and education among the workforce. There is a mismatch between the skills required by the industry and the skills possessed by the workforce, which leads to a low level of productivity and competitiveness.
The government of India has initiated various programs and policies to address the issue of unemployment. One of the major programs is the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) which provides employment to the rural poor for 100 days in a year. This program has helped in reducing rural unemployment to some extent.
The government has also launched the Skill India Mission, which aims to provide vocational training to the youth and help them acquire the skills required by the industry. The aim is to create a skilled workforce that can contribute to the economic growth of the country.
In addition to these initiatives, the government has also undertaken various measures to promote entrepreneurship and self-employment. The Startup India program and the Stand-Up India program are two such initiatives that aim to promote entrepreneurship among the youth and provide them with the necessary support to start their own businesses.
Despite these initiatives, the problem of unemployment remains a major challenge for the Indian economy. The government needs to undertake more measures to create job opportunities, especially in the manufacturing and services sectors, and address the issue of skill mismatch among the workforce.