Labour Force Trends Show Mixed Results for 2024
The latest data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) reveals significant shifts in India’s labour market between 2023 and 2024. While the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) and Worker Population Ratio (WPR) have shown slight improvements in urban areas, the unemployment rate presents a more complex picture. Notably, rural unemployment has decreased marginally, while urban male unemployment has risen. This report highlights key indicators and trends affecting the workforce across various demographics.
Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) Insights
The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in urban areas has seen a notable increase, rising from 74.3% for males in 2023 to 75.6% in 2024. Female participation also experienced a slight uptick, moving from 25.5% to 25.8%. This shift has contributed to an overall increase in LFPR from 50.3% to 51.0%. However, despite these urban gains, the overall LFPR across all categories remained stable at 56.2%, indicating that while urban areas are improving, rural participation rates may not be keeping pace.
In rural areas, the LFPR has faced challenges, particularly among women. The percentage of females working as “helpers in household enterprises” has decreased significantly, from 19.9% to 18.1%. This decline may be a contributing factor to the overall drop in LFPR and WPR among rural women, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to support female participation in the workforce.
Worker Population Ratio (WPR) Developments
The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) has shown slight improvements in urban areas, increasing from 47.0% to 47.6%. However, at the national level, the WPR remained relatively unchanged, moving only from 53.4% to 53.5%. This stagnation suggests that while urban employment opportunities are expanding, the overall job market may still be struggling to accommodate the growing population.
The rural WPR has not seen the same level of improvement, reflecting ongoing challenges in employment access and opportunities. The decline in unpaid household helpers, particularly among women, underscores the need for policies that enhance job creation and support for rural communities.
Unemployment Rate (UR) Trends
The unemployment rate (UR) has displayed mixed trends across different demographics. In rural areas, there was a slight decline in the overall unemployment rate, dropping from 4.3% to 4.2%. This reduction was observed for both men and women, indicating a small improvement in job availability. Conversely, urban male unemployment has risen from 6.0% to 6.1%, while female unemployment has decreased from 8.9% to 8.2%. The overall urban unemployment rate remained stable at 6.7%.
At the national level, the unemployment rate saw a minor decrease from 5.0% to 4.9%. This suggests a slight improvement in employment opportunities across the country, although the disparities between urban and rural areas remain pronounced. The data indicates that while some sectors are experiencing growth, others continue to face significant challenges.
Observer Voice is the one stop site for National, International news, Sports, Editor’s Choice, Art/culture contents, Quotes and much more. We also cover historical contents. Historical contents includes World History, Indian History, and what happened today. The website also covers Entertainment across the India and World.