Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday highlighted the transformative potential of the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY).
Sharing an article written by Union Labour and Employment Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, PM Modi said, “Empowering the youth with innumerable opportunities remains the core vision for a Viksit Bharat. The PMVBRY is set to foster large-scale job creation and transformation. This scheme shall also work as an enabler for the young minds to become active participants in nation-building!”
Employment-Centric Growth Model
In his article titled “A Decade of Empowerment – From Reform to Rozgar,” Mandaviya highlighted India’s economic and employment transformation over the past 12 years under PM Modi’s leadership.
The minister said India has evolved from being grouped among the world’s “Fragile Five” economies in 2013 to becoming the fastest-growing major economy, while simultaneously building one of the largest startup ecosystems and emerging as a global leader in digital public infrastructure.
He emphasized that India’s demographic strength has been at the heart of this transformation. Government initiatives such as Make in India, Digital India, Startup India, Skill India, PM Mudra Yojana, and the National Career Service Portal have collectively expanded opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship, and skill development.
Strong Employment Growth
Mandaviya pointed to several indicators that, according to the government, demonstrate significant improvement in employment generation.
Research data cited in the article showed that India’s employment elasticity rose to 1.11 between 2017-18 and 2023-24, indicating that every one percent increase in Gross Value Added resulted in a 1.11 percent rise in employment. This marked a substantial improvement compared to the employment elasticity of 0.008 recorded between 2011-12 and 2017-18.
The Minister further noted that RBI KLEMS data showed more than 17 crore jobs were created between 2014 and 2024, compared to 2.9 crore jobs during the previous decade from 2004 to 2014.
The employment rate reportedly increased from 46.8 percent in 2017-18 to 57.4 percent in 2025, while unemployment declined to around 3.1 percent, lower than the global average of 4.8 percent. Additionally, EPFO payroll data indicated that more than 8 crore formal-sector jobs were added between 2017 and 2025.
Expansion of Social Security Coverage
The minister also highlighted significant progress in expanding social security coverage.
Mandaviya said social security coverage increased from 25 crore people, representing 19 percent of the population in 2015, to over 94 crore people or 64.3 percent of the population in 2025.
The achievement earned India the International Social Security Association’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Social Security in 2025, further underscoring the government’s efforts to strengthen welfare protections for workers and vulnerable sections of society.
PMVBRY: India’s Largest Employment Initiative
A major focus of the article was the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, which the government describes as the most ambitious employment initiative launched in independent India.
Introduced in the first Union Budget of the Narendra Modi government’s third term, PMVBRY carries an outlay of nearly ₹1 lakh crore and aims to support the creation of more than 3.5 crore employment opportunities over a two-year period.
Under Part A of the scheme, first-time employees are eligible for financial assistance of up to ₹15,000, provided in two instalments. Under Part B, employers receive incentives of up to ₹3,000 per employee per month for each additional worker hired.
Manufacturing-sector employers can avail incentives for up to four years, while employers in other sectors are eligible for support for up to two years.
Mandaviya said the scheme is designed to make formal employment more attractive by directly benefiting workers while simultaneously encouraging businesses to expand hiring.
PM Modi to Disburse ₹2,400 Crore in Incentives
As part of the scheme’s rollout, PM Modi is set to distribute ₹2,400 crore in incentives through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) on June 19, benefiting approximately 15 lakh individuals across the country.
The disbursement will be accompanied by events in 200 major industrial clusters, where appointment letters will be handed over to beneficiaries and employers will be recognised for their contribution to job creation.
Youth at the Centre of Viksit Bharat Vision
Mandaviya said India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047 is closely linked to harnessing the potential of its young population.
He noted that the government’s reform agenda has been built on a partnership between employees and employers, with both viewed as equal stakeholders in nation-building. Through initiatives such as PMVBRY, the government aims to ensure that workers receive greater protection, enterprises receive support for expansion, and the benefits of economic growth are shared more widely.
“As India advances towards Viksit Bharat, employees and employers will continue to serve as the twin engines of growth, prosperity and opportunity,” the minister said, adding that the government’s approach is guided by the principle: “Rozgar ho ya karobaar, saath hai Bharat Sarkar.”
