16.5L people got job under ABRY

New Delhi: Around 16.5 lakh people have benefited from the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY) which was launched in October to encourage hiring in the country amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Union minister Santosh Gangwar said on Wednesday. "As on 9th March, 2021, 16.49 lakh employees were registered for availing the benefits (under ABRY)," Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

The scheme has been introduced to incentivize creation of new employment along with social security benefits and restoration of loss of employment during the pandemic.

This scheme being implemented through the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), reduces the financial burden of the employers of various sectors/ industries and encourages them to hire more workers.

Under the ABRY, the Government of India is crediting for a period of two years both the employees' share (12 per cent of wages) and employers' share (12 per cent of wages) of contribution payable. In another reply on job creation in the House, the minister stated, "Under the ABRY, approximately 16.5 lakhs beneficiaries have registered themselves with the Scheme from October 1, 2020. Out of this, approximately 13.64 lakhs are new joinees with UAN (universal account number) generated on or after October 1, 2020 and approximately 2.86 lakhs are re-joinees who were rendered un-employed during the pandemic from March 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020 &rejoined from October 1, 2020 onwards." Under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), the Government of India has contributed both 12 per cent employer's share and 12 per cent employee's share under Employees Provident Fund (EPF), totaling 24 per cent of the wage for the wage month from March to August, 2020, for the establishments having up to 100 employees with 90 per cent of such employees earning less than Rs 15,000.