The committee, which will have its first meeting this week, will work on convergence of existing schemes to make them more effective and also devise new ones in order to extend social security to a large number of citizens.

As there are a number of similar social security schemes running simultaneously, there is a need to converge them to make them more effective. "To avoid duplication and have tighter monitoring, there is a need to bring the schemes under one department rather than have them under several ministries," the official said.

Taking responsibilities away from ministries has always been a ticklish and difficult issue. To get over the problem, the matter will be taken up in the National Development Council's meeting scheduled in June. "If the state chief ministers like the proposal, then it is more likely to get through."

The strategy for strengthening social security to be worked out by the team will be initially applied in about 100 districts in the country. Officials said that as the schemes will require substantial investment, it will not be possible to put them into force throughout the country.

It is only after the success of the strategy is established in the selected districts, will it be taken up all over the country.

NSSO survey says that employment growth in the country has fallen below one per cent. According to officials, the prospects for employment growth in the future was bleak. "The developed economies have slowed down and it will have adverse repercussions on growth of employment in the developing countries."

Moreover, the change in labour laws, as announced by the finance minister in the Budget enabling units employing less than 1,000 workers to effect lay-offs without taking prior government approval, has also made it more necessary for the country to have a proper social security net in place.