New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS): The 12th Five-Year Plan has projected 22.6 crore people to be engaged in the agricultural sector by 2016-17 and another 27.64 crore engaged in non-farm sector, parliament was told on Monday.

"(The) government has decided to strategically promote labour-intensive manufacturing and expand employment opportunities by promoting tourism and agro-based industries," Labour and Employment Minister Bandaru Dattatreya told Lok Sabha in a written reply.

He said during the Plan period which began in 2012 and will end on 2017, five crore non-farm employment opportunities are proposed to be created and at least equivalent number of people would be provided skill certification.

"The focus is on more productive and quality (organised and self-employed) employment in the manufacturing and services sectors," he said.

Dattatreya said the estimated workforce in industry sector has increased from 8.35 crore in 2004-05 to 10 crore in 2009-10 and 11.5 crore in 2011-12. Similarly, in service sector, workforce has increased from 10.73 crore in 2004-05 to 11.81 crore in 2009-10 and to 12.73 crore in 2011-12.

"As per information received from NITI Aayog, expansion of good jobs in industry and services needs to be promoted for rapid elimination of poverty and shared prosperity for all," he said.

The central government has identified 25 priority sectors including services and industries under the 'Make in India' programme for generation of employment opportunities, he added.