Human Resource & Employment

Population

     Rapidly increasing population has remained a major problem in our country.  The Punjab State has slightly overcome this problem.  According to 2001 census population of the state was 2.44 crores which was 2.03 crores as per 1991 census.  The rate of growth was reduced to 1.82 percent per annum as per 2001 census as compared to 1.91 percent of 1991 census.

     Two third (66.1 percent) of the total population resides in rural areas and the remaining one third (33.9 percent) in urban areas .  The adverse sex ratio is the main cause of concern in demography of the Punjab State.  As per 2001 census there were 876 females per 1000 of males in Punjab as compared to 933 females at the all India level as per 2001 census.  This adverse trend in the sex ratio is mainly attributed to female foeticide and infanticide.  The Govt. is concerned about this malice and has put a total ban on the Pre Natal diagnostic tests by an acting the legislation.  Efforts are also being made to generate awareness & sensitive people at Social level too.  The trend of sex ratio in last century since 1901 is as below:  

            No. of Females per 1000 of Males

     The table reveals that although the sex ratio of Punjab State had conventionally been significantly lower than all India throughout the last century yet it had been improving since 1911 to 1991.  But it declined in 2001, which should be taken a cause of concern both for the Govt. and society.

Literacy Rate

     Literacy has improved in the State during last decade. Out of the total population 69.95 percent were literate in 2001 as compared to 58.51 percent in 1991.  The literacy rate in urban areas is 79.13 percent as against 65.16 percent in rural areas according to 2001 census.  As far as sex-wise literacy is concerned, males are more literates (75.63 percent) than their female counterpart (63.55 percent).  The literacy rate by sex and areas is shown in Table for the year 1991 and 2001 censuses. 

 Education

     The number of schools has increased from 19682 in 2003 to 19835 in 2004. Out of these, 17029 (85.85 percent) are located in rural areas. During 2004, on an average, one primary school served a radius of 1.1 Kms. in rural areas as compared to 0.6 Kms. in urban areas. Similarly one middle school served a radius of 2.6 Kms. in rural areas against 1.6 Kms. in urban areas. In the case of secondary education, one school served a radius of 2.3 Kms. in rural areas while it was 0.8 Kms. in urban areas

Enrolment and Drop-out Rate in Schools

Enrolment

     The enrolment of students was 38.61lakh in 2003 and decreased to 37.59lakh in 2004. The mushrooming of the so called public schools in the un-organized sector attracts the sizable number of students of the near vicinity. The figures of such students are not available and hence not included.  The enrolment of scheduled castes students has shown marginal decline in 6-11years and a rising trend in the age groups of 11-14 and 14-18 years.

     Out of the total enrolment in schools, girls accounted for 46.18 percent in 2004 as it was 46.75 percent in previous year. Age group-wise composition of girl  students enrolled for  the year 2004 was 46.87  percent in the age 6-11 years, 46.74 percent in the age 11-14 years and 46.43 percent in the age 14-18 years. The enrolment of scheduled caste girls in 6-11years remained the same and in the age group 11-14 and 14-18 has shown a rising trend. The ratio of scheduled castes girls to the total girls enrolled in the age groups 6-11, 11-14 and 14-18 was 47.21 percent,35.93 percent and 25.19 percent respectively during the year 2004 (P) as it was 47.74 percent 34.50 percent and 24.62 percent in 2003

Drop-out Rate

     Drop-out rates reveal the extent of continuation in study by the student at various levels. The gender-wise drop-out rates depict the strength of economic and social taboos working against weaker sections of the society. The comparative picture of gender-wise drop- out rates during 1998-99 and 2002-2003 is given in the following table :—

Drop-out rates at primary, middle and secondary stages
                                                   (Position as on 30th Sept.)

                 1998-99                                    2002-2003

I-V            22.86        20.62         21.78        26.37       24.07       25.29      
I-VIII         26.61        29.39         27.91        33.71       31.67       32.75

(Drop out rates are calculated on the basis of the formula suggested by C.S.O. Govt. of India in Selected Socio Economic Statistics India 1998)

     At primary, middle and high levels the drop out rates were   25.29 percent, 32.75 percent and 48.10 percent in 2002-03.

Number of colleges

     The number of colleges in the State has increased from304 in 2003 to 320 in 2004. Out of these, 213 colleges are located in urban areas and 107 in rural areas.

Enrolment in colleges

     The enrolment in colleges in the State has decreased from 2.67 lakh in 2003 to 2.61 lakh in 2004. The distribution of  total enrolment in colleges (category-wise) was Arts and Science Colleges 85.34 percent, Teacher Training Colleges 1.73 percent, Medical Colleges 4.25 percent, Agriculture Colleges  0.42 percent, Engineering Colleges 7.70 percent, Veterinary Colleges 0.18 percent, Physical Education Colleges 0.30 percent and Oriental Colleges 0.07 percent during the year 2004

     The total enrolment of scheduled caste students in the colleges in 2004 was 26203 out of which 13061 were boys and 13142 were girls.  Amongst them 83.02 percent were studying in Arts and Science Colleges, 2.76 percent in Teacher Training Institutions, 6.47 percent in Medical Colleges, 0.49 percent in Agriculture Colleges, 6.47 percent in Engineering Colleges, 0.23 percent in veterinary colleges, 0.43 in physical education, 0.13 percent in oriental colleges during the year 2004

Pupil-Teacher Ratio in Schools

     The pupil-teacher ratio at the Primary Stage was 42:1, at Middle level 29:1 and at High/Senior stage 22:1 during 2004(P) as it was42:1 at primary stage, at middle level 28:1 and at High/Senior stage 22:1 during 2003(P)

Employment

     The generation of new employment opportunities has always remained on the top agenda of the State Govt. To increase the employment opportunities, different self employment schemes are being run by the various departments/corporations. The unemployed youth is being guided about all such schemes so as to enable them to secure gainful employment by setting up their own ventures. For this purpose an outlay of Rs.421.21 crores has been earmarked for providing employment to 127232 persons during 2005-06 through self employment/wage employment and indirect employment.

     Employment in the organised sector (Public and Private) had increased during the last decade, but a decreasing trend has been noticed during the recent years except in the year 2004. Out of the total organised employment, 519976 (67.26 percent) employees are in public sector and rest of the 253140 (32.74 percent) employees is in private sector as on 31st March, 2005.

     The magnitude of unemployment in Punjab continues to be a cause of serious concern. The number of job seekers (both educated and uneducated) on the live registers of employment exchanges at the end of March, 2004 was 4.83 lakhs, which  declined  to 4.67 lakhs in March,2005  and it remained constant at  4.67 lakhs in Sept, 2005 . The total number of educated unemployed persons in March, 2004 was 3.58 lakhs which increased to 3.84 lakhs during March, 2005; however, it decreased to 3.60 lakhs in Sept, 2005. Out of the total educated job seekers (78.52 percent) belong to non technical category and the remaining (21.48 percent) have professional qualifications as on Sept., 2005. The number of remaining all other categories unemployed persons was 1.25 lakhs in March, 2004 decreased to1.08 lakh at the end of September, 2005.

     The Department of Employment, Punjab has set up an internet based overseas employment cell which registers willing and eligible candidates desirous of seeking employment abroad.  As many as 302 candidates have been selected by overseas employers through this process upto September, 2005. The resumes of registered candidates are placed on the department’s website, which is open to employers all over the world.

     The Govt. is seriously concerned with the plight of educated unemployed persons. To tackle this problem, it has started many self- employment programmes for such persons. In this direction the Govt. has got disbursed loan amounting to Rs5097.31 lakhs to9226   persons through financial institutions as against the target of 9200 persons under Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (PMRY). The  State Govt. is also organising Rozgar Mela’s to provide information and employment counseling to rural unemployed youth.

     During the year 2003-04, two new schemes were launched by the   department namely SELF- HELP GROUPS and DOMESTIC AND BUSINESS HELP LINE. The first scheme is meant mainly for the rural population to help such persons who possess some education, skill or experience in forming a group to start any kind of useful activities towards earning a livelihood .In the other scheme groups of unemployed persons who are registered with a particular employment exchange and possess some kind of skill or technical know-how are formed to receive calls or demand for doing service from employment officer. These schemes are particularly good for those who do not want to move away from their home towns and also have little capacity to invest. In this way both the schemes are operative in Punjab with the underlying idea of helping unemployed persons to help themselves in earning a dignified living in the difficult time of shrinking public sector and competitive private sector jobs.

     The State Govt. is also providing unemployment allowance to educated unemployed persons who are not adjusted in any gainful employment.  During the year 2004-05 an amount of Rs.64.53 lakhs was distributed to 5454 such unemployed persons. An amount of Rs43.67 lakhs has been distributed to 3967 unemployed persons from April, 2005 to Nov. 2005.

     Besides above, to identify the sub-sector and activities in all sectors of economy where there is considerable scope for creating additional jobs and livelihood avenues, Govt. is conducting a study, “Livelihood Strategies Across sectors in Punjab”. This study is to be sponsored by UNDP/Planning Commission, Govt.of India. The main objective of the study is to estimate the number and prepare the profile of unemployed persons especially women and the youth. The study will prepare an effective and feasible strategy to create suitable employment and  Livelihood activities in private services, manufacturing and farm and non-farm sectors of the state with special emphasis on the issues pertaining to women livelihood and youth employment.