Maharashtra’s Employment Growth Story: Data Boost For Mahayuti On Eve Of Crucial Polls – News18

Last Updated:November 15, 2024, 15:44 IST

The double-engine government led by Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis is focusing on revamping investments, creating employment, skilling opportunities, and propelling infrastructure development in an inclusive manner

Mahayuti has turned Maharashtra into a leader in employment and economic progress. (News18)

The stage is set for a multi-cornered contest in Maharashtra where BJP-led Mahayuti is showcasing the impact of a double-engine government on the employment front.

A comparative study of key Union ministries and Maharashtra Economic Surveys data is an ample indication that the job situation and income levels in the state have been improving above the all-India average. The government led by Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis is focusing on revamping investments, creating employment, skilling opportunities, and propelling infrastructure development in an inclusive manner. On the other hand, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government that led from 2019 did not take a holistic approach towards the state’s development to facilitate employment generation.

Since the NDA took charge in 2022, Maharashtra witnessed a renewed focus on industrial growth and employment generation through various programmes and initiatives. Aligned with the Viksit Bharat 2047 approach, the NDA government launched Maharashtra’s Vision 2030 plan. Huge capital outlays for infrastructure development and growth in labour-intensive sectors like gems and jewellery, food processing and textile sectors, are a priority. With a view to steer industrial development towards high-tech emerging sectors and generate employment, the state government has identified thrust sectors, including electrical vehicles (manufacturing, infrastructure and servicing), textile machinery manufacturing, agro, food processing, electronic system design, manufacturing and semiconductor fabrication (FAB), and sports and gym equipment manufacturing, etc.

In the past, several big-ticket infrastructure projects like the Atal Setu and Samruddhi Mahamarg, which had huge employment generation potential, were stalled by the MVA government. Immediately after coming to power, the NDA government speeded up the projects in mission mode, contributing to economic growth and benefitting the common man.

In the last two years, the state government has invested around Rs 8 lakh crore for infrastructure development. Several projects are being undertaken to improve connectivity across districts and cities emerging as IT capital, major tourist destination and financial hub, among others. Such initiatives are creating tremendous direct and indirect employment opportunities in the state.

Start-Up Push

The state’s forward-looking policies, such as the Fintech policy and a dedicated Fintech Hub in Mumbai for fintech startups, have created a nurturing environment for innovation and entrepreneurship. Maharashtra is one of the five top-performer states and retained the top spot in the ‘Outlook Start-Up Outperformers 2023’ rankings. There are at least 10 start-ups in each district.

Employment Generation

The employment scenario in the state has improved significantly under the NDA government. Since August 2022, the number of government jobs awarded went up by 123 per cent under the NDA government. Between 2019-2022, the MVA created only 25,782 government jobs. In contrast, the NDA government has generated approximately 57,452 jobs between 2022 and 2024.

Trends in Employment Data

● The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data shows a consistent decline in the unemployment rate, dropping from 3.5 per cent during 2020-21 to 3.3 per cent by 2023-24.

● Employment rate increased from 55.9 per cent in 2021-22 to 57 per cent in 2023-24​

● Female employment rate (WPR) rose from 37.3 per cent in 2021-22 to 39.1 per cent in 2023-24.

● Youth employment rate went up from 38 per cent in 2021-22 to 40.1 per cent in 2023-24.

● Unemployment among the educated youth in Maharashtra was at 15 per cent, which has declined from 19 per cent in 2019 under MVA and is lower than the all-India average at 21.84 per cent.

The trends show that the MVA government led by Uddhav Thackeray failed to prioritise employment generation and formalisation. In contrast, the NDA government has made formal sector employment a priority to not just create more jobs but ensure higher-quality jobs that support long-term economic stability.

In 2023-24, there were 1.31 crore net payroll additions. The state accounted for 22 per cent of the net additions made across the country in 2023-24, showcasing the boom in formal sector job creation​. More than 40 per cent of these jobs are created under the ‘Expert Services’ sector category, which includes supplying of personnel, manpower agency, consulting services, R&D services, etc.

State Government’s Efforts Towards Job Creation

To expand the outreach of employment programmes, the NDA government organised around 1,138 job fairs between FY-2022 and 2024. These fairs led to a significant increase in number of jobs created, which reached 1.51 lakh. The share of the manufacturing sector in employment also showed a positive trend, increasing substantially from 16.68 per cent in 2019-20 under MVA to 20.57 per cent in 2023-24 under Mahayuti.

Increasing Formalisation In Job Market

The total EPFO membership in the state grew by 8.5 per cent from 5.6 crore in 2021-22 to 6.10 crore in 2022-23.

Under the NDA government, successful implementation of two state schemes — Pramod Mahajan Kaushalya Udyojakata Vikas Abhiyan and Kiman Kaushalya Vikas Karyakram — lead to a significant increase in creation of employment opportunities. The number of jobs created under the Pramod Mahajan scheme in 2021-22 and 2022-23 was 89,342 and 1,12,192, while in the Kiman Karyakram, it increased from 15,537 to 20,529.

Rise In Employment In SEZs

Growth in investments in SEZs spurred economic activity, export-oriented growth, and employment in the state. Of 280 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the country, 38 are in Maharashtra, indicating the state’s strength in promoting exports and attracting investment. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s data shows that these 38 SEZs employ 6.35 lakh people, of which 2.19 lakh are women.

Promoting Maharashtra As Textile Hub

The Integrated & Sustainable Textile Policy was launched in June 2023. Other major projects include PM MITRA in Amravati district and 18 mini textile parks across the state. These initiatives are expected to attract a combined investment of Rs 36,000 crore and provide direct and indirect employment to approximately 8.36 lakh people. Navi Mumbai is set to have a large Jewellery Park that will provide employment to at least one lakh people, positioning Mumbai as a leading global centre for the gems and jewellery sector. Employment generated by MSMEs increased from 108.68 lakh jobs in 2022 to 123.39 lakh by 2024. Maharashtra’s MSME sector witnessed substantial growth under the NDA government. Between 2019 and 2024, number of MSMEs increased from 14.9 lakh to 33.07 lakh.

Experts claim that Maharashtra’s growth story under the NDA government demonstrates a clear and effective approach to creating jobs. Through job fairs, support for small businesses and start-ups, and efforts to formalise the workforce, the Mahayuti has turned Maharashtra into a leader in employment and economic progress. In contrast, the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government failed to address the key issues of job creation and economic development. According to BJP, these efforts are likely to benefit the Mahayuti in the upcoming polls.