UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 28 March 2024

GS Paper 3

Syllabus: Indian Economy: Employment/Unemployment

Source: TH, ILO

 Context: ILO’s India Employment Report 2024 examines youth employment challenges and trends over two decades, drawing from various data sources

Key findings of the Report are:

Positive Findings:

1. Women saw a rise in self-employment and unpaid family work.
2. Labour productivity increased consistently alongside technological progress.
3. Female labour market participation rates increased, especially in rural areas.
4. There’s a gradual shift from agriculture to non-farm sectors in the workforce, however, the transition slowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Negative Findings:

1. Youth unemployment increased nearly threefold, from 5.7% in 2000 to 17.5% in 2019
2. Employment growth remained stagnant until 2019, then started to rise
3. Employment is dominated by the informal sector (about 82%). Self-employment and casual employment are predominant
4. Wages have remained low and stagnant or decreased. Modest wage rises for casual labourers were observed, while real wages for regular workers stagnated or declined.
5. India is expected to have a migration rate of around 40% by 2030, with an urban population of about 607 million.
6. Contractualization has risen, with only a small fraction of workers under long-term contracts. The proportion of regular employment increased post-2000 but declined after 2018.
7. Livelihood insecurities are widespread, especially in the non-agricultural organized sector, with limited social protection coverage.
8. Despite India’s youthful workforce being a demographic asset, many lack essential skills, with 75% unable to send emails with attachments, 60% unable to copy and paste files, and 90% unable to use spreadsheets for mathematical formulas.
9. Education: While overall educational levels have risen, gaps remain across social groups, economic backgrounds, and regions. Only a small percentage of youths have formal vocational training, with less than 4% accessing it

Recommendations:

For Types of Employment in India: Click Here

For Causes of the high unemployment rate: Click Here

For the Social Impact of Unemployment in India: Click Here

For Measures to address unemployment: Click Here

Government’s Initiatives Related to Employment:

1. Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE)
2. PM-DAKSH (Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi)
3. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)
4. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)
5. Start-Up India Scheme
6. Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme– Rajasthan.

About India Employment Report 2024

The India Employment Report 2024 is the third in the series of regular publications by the Institute for Human Development (together with the International Labour Organization) on labour and employment issues. The report is primarily based on analysis of data from the National Sample Surveys and the Periodic Labour Force Surveys between 2000 and 2022, with a postscript for 2023. Other sources of data include the Annual Survey of Industries, the National Account Statistics and the Reserve Bank of India-KLEMS database.

Mains Link:

 Most of the unemployment in India is structural in nature. Examine the methodology adopted to compute unemployment in the country and suggest improvements. (UPSC 2023)

Prelims Link:

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: Economic Times

Context: The Supreme Court emphasized the need to prevent the arbitrary use of preventive detention powers, overturning a Telangana High Court decision.

• It clarified that preventive detention is meant to avert future harm, not as a form of punishment, and should be based on careful consideration of facts.
• The court highlighted that preventive detention is a severe measure and should not be invoked routinely or arbitrarily by authorities.

The Supreme Court also underscored that the grounds for detention must be clearly stated, and the decision should be based on a thorough examination of relevant facts.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TOI

Context: ISRO achieved a significant milestone with its PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM-3) successfully re-entering Earth’s atmosphere without leaving any debris in orbit.

• This achievement, following the PSLV-C58/XPoSat mission, is termed another milestone by ISRO.
• The operation involved converting the final stage of the PSLV into POEM-3 and deorbiting it from 650 km to 350 km altitude.
• This expedited re-entry process aimed to minimize risks associated with accidental break-ups.
• POEM-3 carried nine experimental payloads, facilitating technology demonstrations and scientific experiments.

This initiative aims to safeguard orbital environments, ensuring their viability for current and future space missions.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TH

Context: Black carbon, emitted from incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuels, is a significant contributor to global warming and poses health risks.

• In India, the residential sector is the largest source of black carbon emissions.

Prioritizing black carbon reduction aligns with India’s global commitments to decarbonization and sustainable development goals, potentially preventing thousands of premature deaths annually.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: PIB

 Context:  ICG Ship Samudra Paheredar recently arrived at Manila Bay, Philippines, as part of an overseas deployment to ASEAN countries. This deployment aims to showcase the Indian Coast Guard’s marine pollution response capabilities and strengthen bilateral cooperation with the Philippine Coast Guard.

Built by ABG Shipyard, Surat, it is stationed on the East Coast of India in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Equipped with advanced pollution response and control equipment, including containment and recovery devices for oil spills, it plays a vital role in safeguarding marine environments. Additionally, it boasts special features like integrated platform management and power systems, along with the capability to operate one twin-engine ALH/Chetak helicopter.

Source: PIB

 Context: Launched by the Indian Navy in December 2023, the operation completed 100 days, operating in key areas including the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and off the East Coast of Somalia. Its objective is to safeguard India’s maritime interests, counter maritime threats, combat piracy resurgence, and curb narcotics trade in the Indian Ocean Region.

Mapping

Source: TH

 Context: Rising saltwater levels threaten Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, causing nearly $3 billion in annual crop losses. The region, known as “Vietnam’s rice bowl,” faces intensified saltwater intrusion due to rising sea levels, droughts, and other factors. This could result in significant damage to agriculture, particularly in the southern Ca Mau province.

About the Mekong Delta in Vietnam: 

It is a wet coastal area of over 40,500 km2 where the Mekong River meets the sea. It’s a vital agricultural and aquacultural region, with a history dating back to the 4th century BC. The area is renowned for its biodiversity but is also vulnerable to climate change and related issues like sea level rise and saltwater intrusion.

Read about the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism: Here