Rural unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in September from 4.3% in August, with male and female unemployment rate rising to 4.7% and 4.3%, respectively, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data released by the ministry of statistics & programme implementation (MoSPI).
In urban areas, the jobless rate rose to 6.8% from 6.7%, with male and female unemployment increasing to 6% and 9.3%, respectively.
Overall, male unemployment increased to 5.1% in September from 5% in August and female unemployment to 5.5% from 5.2%.
The figures reflect individuals aged 15 and above who were unemployed but actively seeking work. The data is based on the current weekly status (CWS), which considers whether individuals worked or looked for work in the seven days preceding the survey. Youth unemployment (15-29 years) rose to a three-month high of 15% in September compared to 14.6% in August.
The survey covered 89,291 households and 375,703 people across rural and urban areas.Rise in lFPRLabour force participation rate (LFPR), the share of population working or seeking work, increased to a five-month high of 55.3% in September from 55% in August.
Female LFPR rose to a five-month high of 34.1% in September from 33.7% in August, while male LFPR went up to 77.1% from 77%.
In rural areas, male LFPR increased to 78.1% in September from 77.9% in August and female LFPR rose slightly to 37.9% from 37.4% over the same period.
In contrast, in urban areas, male participation declined marginally to 75.3% from 75.4%, while female participation rate held steady at 26.1%. Data showed youth LFPR increased to a four-month high of 41.3%, slightly above 41.1% in August. Female youth participation rose to 21.7% from 21.4%, though male youth participation remained unchanged at 60.7%.
as a Reliable and Trusted News SourceThe worker population ratio (WPR), or employment rate, increased to 52.4% in September compared with 52.2% in August. Female WPR rose slightly to 32.3% from 32%, while male WPR held steady at 73.2%.