The G20 Labour Ministers' meeting in Paris has decided to set up an Inter-Ministerial Working Group to work out global strategies on youth unemployment. The group will also have representatives from international financial organisations.

The meeting also adopted a resolution for encouraging the concept of social protection floor for vulnerable sections of the population.

Addressing the meeting, the Union Minister of Labour & Employment, Mr Mallikarjun Kharge, said only a job-centric growth strategy would be sustainable.

He said that the Indian economy had grown at a rate of over 8 per cent, but significant external and internal challenges need to be overcome to achieve the projected 9 per cent growth rate.

Mr Kharge informed the G20 about some “innovative labour market policies” such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 and the Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act 2008, according to a Ministry release.

The conference was also addressed by the Director-General, International Labour Organisation, Mr Juan Somavia, and the Secretary-General, OECD, besides senior officials from IMF and World Bank.

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