1. Workforce Overview
- Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR):
- Bihar’s LFPR stands at 43.4%, lower than the national average of 56.0% (PLFS 2022-23).
- Male LFPR: 70.6%, Female LFPR: 15.6%.
- High reliance on self-employment and casual labour, particularly in rural areas.
- Unemployment Rate:
- Overall: 3.4% in Bihar vs. 3.2% (India).
- Youth Unemployment (15-29 years): 10.8% (urban Bihar)
2. Employment Trends
- Sectoral Distribution:
- Agriculture still engages over half the workforce.
- Construction and trade are key sources of employment outside agriculture.
- Migration Patterns:
- Bihar continues to see high out-migration due to limited local employment.
- Most migrants are young males from rural areas.
3. Skilling Initiatives
- Kushal Yuva Programme (KYP):
- Targets youth aged 15-28.
- Offers soft skills, IT and communication training.
- Recognised by SKOCH Award and NITI Aayog.
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
- Aimed at 18-59 age group with informal skills.
- Enables certification under NSQF framework.
- SANKALP Yojana:
- A World Bank-supported scheme.
- Introduces innovative training programmes.
- Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY):
- Focus on rural poor youth.
- JEEVIKA is a complementary agency for implementation.
- Rural Self-Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs):
- Conduct entrepreneurship development across agriculture, product, and general sectors.
- Supported by JEEVIKA.
- Mega Skill Centres:
- Being developed in Patna under the BS-CFA model (hub-and-spoke).
4. Achievements
- World Skills Competition 2023:
- Bihar participants won 13 medals (4 gold, 2 silver, 5 bronze).
- BSDM Initiatives:
- Organised state-level competitions in collaboration with NSDC.
- Ongoing efforts to map industry demand and align training modules accordingly.
5. Passport Issuance
- 1,703.9 thousand applications received in the last 5 years.
- 1,683.1 thousand passports issued.
- Banka showed the highest growth (70%) in passport applications.