The Craze for gold in India has led to a surge in the import of gold in recent years and put pressure on the balance of payments and the external value of the rupee. In view of this, examine the merits of the Gold Monetization scheme.
The Craze for gold in India has led to a surge in the import of gold in recent years and put pressure on the balance of payments and the external value of the rupee. In view of this, examine the merits of the Gold Monetization scheme.
Recent economic data challenges the "jobless growth" narrative, revealing a more nuanced employment landscape in India's evolving economy.
Arguments Against Jobless Growth
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Employment Data Trends
- PLFS 2022-23 shows unemployment rate declined to 3.2% (rural) and 5.4% (urban)
- Labour Force Participation Rate increased to 42.4% in 2022-23 from 39.5% in 2017-18
- 46.4 million new jobs created between 2017-18 and 2022-23 across sectors
- Manufacturing employment grew by 13.37 million during this period
- Construction sector added 7.8 million jobs, showing robust blue-collar employment
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Sectoral Job Creation Patterns
- Services sector remains largest employer with 32% workforce share
- Gig economy expanded rapidly with platforms like Zomato, Swiggy creating millions of delivery jobs
- E-commerce growth generated employment in logistics, warehousing, and last-mile delivery
- Start-up ecosystem created high-skilled jobs in technology and innovation sectors
- Financial inclusion initiatives like Jan Dhan Yojana created banking correspondent jobs
Quality vs Quantity Employment Debate
| Traditional Jobs | Emerging Employment |
|---|---|
| Formal sector focus | Gig/platform-based work |
| Long-term contracts | Flexible arrangements |
| Fixed locations | Location-independent |
| Limited skill diversity | Multi-skill requirements |
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Formalization Trends
- EPF registrations increased from 38 million (2017) to 65 million (2023)
- ESIC beneficiaries grew by 40% indicating formal job expansion
- GST registration led to formalization of previously informal businesses
- Digital payment adoption brought transparency to employment relationships
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Skill-Based Employment Growth
- IT-ITeS sector added 1.4 million jobs post-pandemic
- Digital India initiatives created tech-enabled service jobs
- Renewable energy sector employment reached 1.17 million by 2023
- Healthcare expansion through Ayushman Bharat generated medical support jobs
The evidence suggests India's growth pattern has evolved rather than become jobless. While traditional manufacturing jobs may not match GDP growth rates, new economy sectors, formalization trends, and platform-based employment indicate substantial job creation. The challenge lies in ensuring quality employment that matches aspirational incomes and leveraging demographic dividend through initiatives like Skill India and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
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