GOVERNMENT POLICY FOR REMOVING UNEMPLOYMENT - appsc GROUP 1 MAINS - PAPER 3

• Employment Policy up to the 1980s: Direct measures to eliminate unemployment were not preferred as the apprehension was that they could slow down the growth process by raising consumption expenditure on the other hand, and cutting down the economic surplus on the other. This policy was obviously inadequate to tackle the unemployment problem and as a result, the number of unemployment rose. Hence government decided to concentrate on self employment ventures in various fields farm and non-farm operations.

Such as:-

o    Rural development programme

o    National rural employment programme

o    National scheme of training youth for self employment

o    The operation food II dairy project

o    Integrated rural development programme

o    Rural landless employment guarantee programme

•    Employment Strategies during the 1990s: Defining its

employment perspective the Eighth Plan clearly stated, "The employment potential of growth can be raised by readjusting the sectoral composition of output in favour of sector and sub-sector having higher employment elasticity." In certain sectors where technologies are to be upgraded to a higher level of efficiency and international competitiveness, there is little scope for generating additional employment. However, in respect of certain other sectors some flexibility may be available in the choice of technologies and thus it may not be difficult to generate considerable employment.

According to the present estimates, the employment strategy as stated above will enable attainment of the goal of full employment in any case not before 2012 A.D. Therefore, special employment programmes as in the past should be continued to provide short-term employment to unemployed and underemployment among the Poor and the Vulnerable.