NITI Ayog Vice-Chairman heads Expert Task Force on job creation

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : To provide a major thrust to job creation by enhancing India’s exports, the government on September 6, 2017, constituted an Expert Task Force with the NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr. Rajiv Kumar, as its Chairperson.

Members of the Task force include CEO, NITI Aayog, Secretary, Department of Commerce, Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, and Secretary, Ministry of Textiles. Leading economists and industry experts are also members of the Task Force, which will submit its report by November 2017, according to a PIB release.

The Task Force will propose a comprehensive plan of action to generate employment and alleviate under-employment in both goods and services sectors and low wages by boosting India’s exports in key labour-intensive industries. It will also recommend sector-specific policy interventions in key employment sectors besides recommending measures to enhance trade in services with high employment potential.

While the Indian workforce has high aspirations, a majority of the workers are still employed in low-productivity, low-wage jobs in small, micro and own-account enterprises. An urgent and sustained expansion of the organized sector is essential to address India’s unemployment and under-employment issue, according to a PIB release. An important strategy is also to enable a shift towards more labour-intensive goods and services that are destined for exports. Given the importance of exports in generating jobs, India needs to create an environment in which globally competitive exporters can emerge and flourish.