Context:
For the fourth quarter of the year 2024, the urban unemployment rate in India is likely to remain stabilized at around 6.4%.
General Unemployment Trends
- Urban unemployment rate (for aged 15 years to above)
- 6.4% (Oct Dec 2024), same as the previous quarter.
- Comparison from 2023
- A slight decline from 6.5% for this same period last year.
- Gender-wise figures
- Male unemployment rate: 5.8%
- Female unemployment rate: 8.1% (down from 8.6% in 2023).
State-wise Unemployment
- Highest unemployment rate from: Himachal Pradesh (overall 10.4%, women with 24%).
- Lowest unemployment rate from: Gujarat (with overall 3%), Delhi (with 1.3% female unemployment rate).
Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR)
- Overall LFPR (all ages): 39.6%, compared to 39.2% in 2023.
- Female LFPR: 20% (a slightly increase from 19.9% in 2023 but lower than the last quarter’s 20.3%).
- Least LFPR: Bihar (Overall: 30.7%, Female: 9.9%).
Worker Population Ratio (WPR)
- WPR for 15+ age group: from 46.6% (2023) to 47.2% (2024).
- Male WPR: 69.8% (2023): 70.9% (2024).
Employment Distribution
- 39.9% self employed
- 49.4% regular wage/salaried employees
- 10.6% casual labourers.
Sectoral Distribution
- Agriculture: 5.5%
- Secondary Sector: 31.8%
- Tertiary Sector: 62.7%
Urban unemployment rate is consistent at 6.4%, with marginal improvement in female workforce participation. Yet states still vary widely such as the high unemployment observed in Himachal Pradesh especially in female populations. Employment is dominated by the tertiary sector as characteristic of the Indian service economy.
