After Furore Over CMIE Data, Govt. Figures Show Haryana Sliding On Unemployment

Relevance: GS 3 - Issues relating to employment.

(Source: The Hindu, 07/24/23)

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Why in the news?

Recently, the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data was shared by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment in reply to an unstarred question by a Haryana Rajya Sabha member.

State-wise comparison

• Rate of unemployment: The unemployment rate was 6.0% for men and 9.2% for women. It was 6.5% and 9.6% for men and women respectively, in October– December 2022.
• The unemployment rate for both males and females aged 15 years and above, declined to 6.8%.
• Chhattisgarh has the highest unemployment rate at 12.5% rising from 10.6% in the previous quarter, followed by Rajasthan at 11.9%.
• labour force participation across gender: The female labour force participation in Q4 FY23 increased marginally to 22.7% from 22.3% in the previous quarter. The male labour force participation stands at 73.5%.
• The proportion of women in the self-employed category, which also includes unpaid helpers in household enterprises, increased to 38.5% from 37.9% in the previous quarter.
• Whereas, their ratio as regular wage/salaried workers declined to 54.2% from 54.5% earlier.
• The number of men in regular wage/salaried workers increased to 47.3% from 46.9% during this period.

Steps to be taken to reduce unemployment in India

• Promoting skill development: Investing in skill development and vocational training would equip individuals with industry-relevant skills, making them more employable. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Capacity Building Scheme and Udaan can be utilized to promote skills development.
• Strengthening education and industry collaboration: Reducing the gap between education and industry requirements by promoting collaboration between educational institutions and industries.
• Collaborations can lead to the development of curricula aligned with industry needs, internship programs, and vocational training tie-ups.
• This would equip students with practical skills and improve their employability.
• Encouraging entrepreneurship and startups: Promoting a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship can create new job opportunities, stimulate economic growth and foster a culture of self-reliance.
  • Eg: Atal Innovation Mission, NIDHI Scheme (National Initiative for Development and Harnessing Innovations)
• Harnessing the potential of digitalisation and technology: Promoting digital literacy, supporting digital platforms for gig economy work, and fostering technology-driven sectors like e-commerce and fintech can create jobs and empower a digitally skilled workforce. For example, schemes like 'Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) can be leveraged to promote digital literacy.

Conclusion

In order to effectively reduce unemployment and empower demographic dividend it is crucial to equip youth with the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the demands of the job market.

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FAQs

MCQ

Question: Consider the following statements:

1. Unstarred questions in parliament don’t demand an oral answer on the floor of the house in question hour.
2. No follow-up questions are allowed for unstarred questions.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2