New Delhi, July 26 (IANS) As many as 16.83 crore new jobs have been created in the last six financial years from 2017-18 to 2023-24 , Minister of State (MoS) for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje informed the Parliament.

The total employment in the country registered a robust 35 per cent increase during this 6-year period from 47.5 crore in 2017-18 to 64.33 crore as of March 2024, the minister stated in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

The information is based on the latest KLEMS (K: Capital, L: Labour, E: Energy, M: Materials and S: Services) data of the RBI which provides employment trends at the all-India level.

The minister said that the manufacturing sector (formal and informal entities) saw an increase of 85 lakh employment opportunities from 2017-18 to 2022-23.

In answer to another question on child labour, the minister said that the government is pursuing a multipronged strategy to eliminate the menace and has taken comprehensive measures which include legislative actions, rehabilitation strategy, providing the right to free education and promoting general socio-economic development.

The Centre has also framed a model State Action Plan enumerating the action points to be taken by respective state governments for eradication of child labour, the minister added.