One significant word that seems to be missing from the majority of debate and discussion topics regarding current

economic issues theses days is the word employment. Unemployment has become a major economic issue in India. With many losing their jobs, and many not given the opportunity to obtain a job, Indias unemployment rate had increases to 7.8 %( 2006 est.). With 1,129,866,154 (July 2007 est.) people living in India, 25% are below the poverty line. As apposed to Canada, unemployment rates have decreased to 6.4% (2006 est.) with 15.9% in poverty. A challenge that South Asia faces with employment is, the amount of people in the area and those who are in the working age group. South Asia is a hugely populated 60 per cent of whom are in the working-age group (Shehazd, 2004). It also becomes very difficult for countries with those given less opportunity to gain knowledge, a lack of education. Various numbers of jobs require a higher level of education to ensure many requirements and concerns such as safety in a workplace, as well as beneficial circumstances in saving resources. one-third of South Asia is in poverty; and, about half of the population in four large countries is illiterate.(Shehazd, 2004). India consists of a large population, it may come to mind that those whom may be unemployed should resort to jobs in the agriculture field, but the main problem towards this commitment is the lack of investment and low productivity dedicated to agriculture since the Green Revolution. agriculture is the predominant employer, investment and low productivity since the Green Revolution during the 1960s (Shehazd, 2004). In order to improve employment rates in India, necessary actions

need to be implemented which comprise of attracting foreign businesses, opening new manufacturing plants, and eliminating cultural barriers. One way to increase employment rates is to attract foreign businesses through tax breaks, job training, and through permits and agreements. International businesses prefer to have business trade relations with countries that offer a lower tax rate or no tax rate at all. Through tax breaks, businesses should be more attracted to a country because of trade agreements and fewer expenses incurred. When a country sees that there are no taxes on trades, companies will export and import more. Therefore, attracting businesses to do trades with a country, allowing job slots to be open and created, giving people more of an opportunity to acquire a job. To help lower Florida's unemployment rate the state government has initiated several incentives to attract businesses to Florida that will create jobs for citizens. One is a tax break. (Hayes, 2002). Experience and training in professions attract businesses, with greater knowledge of jobs, international businesses deploy into the country and hire experience and trained workers. With the job training workers receive, businesses are run much more productively than with workers with less experience. The Quick Response Training Incentive is "a customer-driven existing Florida businesses with necessary training for expansion." (Hayes, 2002). Sometimes countries make it difficult for foreign businesses to enter their country so that local companies can

prosper. But when companies have high unemployment rates, the opposite may occur. In order to increase the employment rate, the country may allow foreign countries to expand into their own. This can be made possible through permits and agreements, defined as grants of rights, allowing businesses to set up their company in a specific location. Another attempt to help entrepreneurs and bring business to Florida is the Streamlined Permitting and Regulations Plan. (Hayes, 2002). Florida created this plan to assist businesses in obtaining necessary permits and paperwork in a timely fashion. (Hayes, 2002). These methods/incentives were initiated by Florida because the U.S economy had subsided. These can also work for improving Indias employment rates if these plans are executed. Another possible way to decrease unemployment rates is to accelerate the growth of Gross Domestic Product, this can be achieved through allocating workers to manufacturing jobs and with particular emphasis on sectors likely to ensure the spread of income to the low income segment of the labour force. Raising the level of productivity should be a prime goal for the country. Since approximately half of Indias population is illiterate, opening up manufacturing plants may create a better opportunity for people to obtain such jobs since manufacturing plants have many positions that dont require a high level of education. one-third of South Asia is in poverty; and, about half of the population in four large countries is illiterate.(Shehazd, 2004). Opening a manufacturing plant to create products that can

be exported to other countries to sell will allow many job positions. One suggestion is to continue the system of exclusive reservation of the manufacture of certain products for small-scale enterprises. (Thakurta, 2002). Furthermore, with the establishment of new manufacturing companies, the income of the population will be distributed more equally. With providing manufacturing jobs, people who are employed in knowledge based sectors do not receive a large portion of the countries income, the income will be dispersed for the rest of population through the construction of manufacturing companies. As emphasized, the Gross Domestic Product increases because of the construction of manufacturing plants, this gives those who are less educated jobs, if the government realizes that creating manufacturing plants employ people which increase the Gross Domestic Product, then theyll more likely be encouraged to construct more manufacturing plants. Therefore, accelerating growth of Gross Domestic Product helps improve employment rate of the country. Cultural barriers can increase unemployment rates in India. A cultural barrier that is frequent in India is the caste system. The way it works is that people in the higher caste come before people in the lower caste. Those of the higher caste have a greater chance in receiving a job if they were compared to the lower caste. The system, which dates back more than 2,000 years, divides the population into higher castes, which include priests and warriors, and lower castes, such as laborers. At the bottom sit the "untouchables," known as Dalits. (Moritsugu, 2006). Searching for a well

offered job becomes hard to seek for towards those of the lower caste. Even if given the opportunity, a member of the higher caste can easily take the position. Despite a strong academic record, the 31-year-old graduate student said he wouldn't have gotten the post without government-mandated quotas. "People don't want that you sit with them," he said. "At the moment they know your caste, they create barriers." (Moritsugu, 2006). Many people who are part of the low caste endure from this type of job discrimination. The government can implement job quotas which will decrease the amount of job discrimination in India. India sets aside 22.5% of its government jobs for the lowest castes, and an additional 27% for what are called the other "backward" castes, the next step up in the caste system. (Moritsugu, 2006). Even though these quotas will provide even opportunities for everyone, some people are still against quotas, an alternative could be providing better education for the lower caste. A better solution would be to ensure that the lower castes have better access to education, quota opponents say, something they blame the government for failing to provide. "The government can't provide primary and secondary education," said Peeyush Kumar, 20, a student who has protested the quotas. "That's why they are imposing this (quota), to increase the number of votes they are going to receive." (Moritsugu, 2006). Reducing job discrimination by implementing job quotas and providing better access to education for the lower caste will assist in raising the employment rate.

The government needs to take immediate action to decrease the unemployment rate in order to help its country. It must learn to attract foreign business through acts of tax breaks, better job training, as well as through permits and agreements. Accelerating the growth of their Gross Domestic Product by creating more manufacturing plants will allow the income of the population to be distributed equally and create more jobs for those whom are unemployed. Eliminating cultural barriers such as the caste system and quotas will create a better opportunity for those who deserve to obtain a job. Chances will be equal towards acquiring a job when it comes to caste. Through government intervention, this plan can be taken into action and significantly reduce unemployment rates. Benefits of the previous statements can show positive affects towards the unemployment rate, by being more open to foreign societies and reducing discrimination against others thus, creating a better society. Discrimination against other countries, businesses, or castes impedes on a persons ability to achieve their full potential. Through the eradication of these types of discrimination, people can strive for a better or more satisfying life and also be successful.