11th Plan to create 58 million new jobs: Govt

The government on Monday said 58 million new job opportunities are likely to be created during the 11th Five-Year Plan (2007-12), thanks to various steps including three stimulus packages since December 2008.

Replying to a supplementary during the Question Hour in Lok Sabha, Labour and Employment Minister Mallikarjun Kharge said employment is projected to grow at an average rate of 2.73 per cent annually.

He informed the House that the government has released Rs 27,368.76 crore (Rs 273.687 billion) till April-January period of 2009-10 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Similarly, in other employment generation schemes like Swarnajayanti Swarozgar Yojna and Shahari Rozgar Yojna, the government has been making funds available to different states to create new job opportunities.

On whether the government would give unemployment allowance to youths, Kharge said, "As of now there is no such plan."