Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) addresses Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2893 regarding unemployment in the country. Data is derived from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) under MoSPI. The report provides estimates for Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) from July 2021-June 2022 to July 2023-June 2024, and Unemployment Rate (UR) from July 2017-June 2018 to July 2023-June 2024.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Data Source:**
* The National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) conducts the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).
* PLFS estimates key employment and unemployment indicators.
* **Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR):**
* LFPR in usual status (psss) for rural and urban areas is provided for the periods July 2021-June 2022, July 2022-June 2023 and July 2023-June 2024.
* Rural LFPR: 42.2% (2021-22), 43.4% (2022-23), 46.8% (2023-24)
* Urban LFPR: 39.0% (2021-22), 39.8% (2022-23), 41.0% (2023-24)
* **Unemployment Rate (UR):**
* UR in usual status (psss) for rural and urban areas is provided for the periods July 2017-June 2018 to July 2023-June 2024.
* Rural UR: 5.3% (2017-18), 5.0% (2018-19), 4.0% (2019-20), 3.3% (2020-21), 3.3% (2021-22), 2.4% (2022-23), 2.5% (2023-24)
* Urban UR: 7.8% (2017-18), 7.7% (2018-19), 7.0% (2019-20), 6.7% (2020-21), 6.3% (2021-22), 5.4% (2022-23), 5.1% (2023-24)
* **Worker Population Ratio (WPR):**
* WPR in usual status (psss) for rural and urban areas is provided for the periods July 2021-June 2022, July 2022-June 2023 and July 2023-June 2024.
* Rural WPR: 40.8% (2021-22), 42.3% (2022-23), 45.6% (2023-24)
* Urban WPR: 36.6% (2021-22), 37.7% (2022-23), 38.9% (2023-24)
* **Employment Status Distribution:**
* Percentage distribution of workers in usual status (psss) by status in employment (self-employed, regular wage/salaried, and casual labor) is provided for rural and urban areas for the periods July 2021-June 2022, July 2022-June 2023 and July 2023-June 2024.
* Rural: Self-employed (61.5% to 64.7%), Regular wage/salaried (12.5% to 12.7%), Casual labor (25.9% to 22.5%)
* Urban: Self-employed (39.5% to 40.4%), Regular wage/salaried (47.1% to 47.5%), Casual labor (13.4% to 12.1%)
Impact Analysis:
* **Government of India (Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation):**
* Impact: Responsible for collecting and presenting data on employment and unemployment through the NSO and PLFS.
* Action Required: Continue conducting and publishing the PLFS to monitor employment trends.
* **Policy Makers and Planners:**
* Impact: Provided with data to formulate and evaluate employment-related policies and programs.
* Action Required: Utilize the PLFS data to inform evidence-based policy decisions.
* **Citizens (Job Seekers, Employed, Unemployed):**
* Impact: Directly affected by employment trends and government policies aimed at improving employment opportunities.
* Action Required: N/A
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation: The Indian government ministry responsible for statistical data and program implementation.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the question regarding unemployment was raised.
Rajeev Rai: Member of Parliament who raised the unstarred question No. 2893 regarding unemployment.
Rao Inderjit Singh: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation; Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Planning and Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture.
National Statistics Office (NSO): The office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation responsible for conducting the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS): A survey conducted by the NSO to estimate employment and unemployment indicators in India since 2017.
Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): An employment and unemployment indicator estimated by PLFS.
Unemployment Rate (UR): An employment and unemployment indicator estimated by PLFS.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2893
TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2025
UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY
2893. SHRI RAJEEV RAI:
Will the Minister of STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION
be pleased to state:
(a) the number of persons in the labour force both rural and urban
areas during the last three years, year wise;
(b) the number of persons unemployed, willing to work and active job
seekers enrolled with employment exchanges since 2016 for rural
and urban areas, year-wise;
(c) the number of persons unemployed, willing to work but inactive in
seeking jobs in rural and urban areas for the last three years,
year-wise;
(d) the number of underemployed, marginally attached and
discouraged workers in rural and urban areas for last three years
therein, year-wise; and
(e) the number of persons employed, full-time, part-time, separately
for the last three years for rural and urban areas, year-wise?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF
STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION; MINISTER OF
STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE [RAO INDERJIT
SINGH]
(a) to (e): National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of
Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has been
conducting Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) since 2017 to estimate
various indicators related to employment and unemployment situation
in the country. PLFS gives estimates of key employment andunemployment indicators such as Labour Force Participation Rates
(LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), Unemployment Rate (UR), etc.
From the PLFS conducted during the periods July 2021- June 2022 to
July 2023 - June 2024, the estimates of LFPR in usual status (ps+ss) for
both rural and urban areas are given in Table below:
Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) (in per cent) according to
usual status (ps+ss) in rural and urban areas from PLFS 2021-22, 2022-
23 and 2023-24
All-India
LFPR (in percent) according to usual status (ps+ss) in
survey (year)
Rural areas Urban areas
PLFS, 2021-22 42.2 39.0
PLFS, 2022-23 43.4 39.8
PLFS, 2023-24 46.8 41.0
Source: Annual Report, PLFS, 2023-24
Note: 2023-24 refers to the period July 2023 – June 2024 likewise for
2022-23 and 2021-22
From the PLFS conducted during the periods July 2017- June 2018 to
July 2023 - June 2024, the estimates of UR in usual status (ps+ss) for
both rural and urban areas are given in Table below:
Unemployment Rate (UR) (in per cent) according to usual status
(ps+ss) in rural and urban areas from PLFS
All-India
UR (in per cent) according to usual status (ps+ss) in
survey (year)
Rural areas Urban areas
PLFS, 2017-18 5.3 7.8
PLFS, 2018-19 5.0 7.7
PLFS, 2019-20 4.0 7.0
PLFS, 2020-21 3.3 6.7
PLFS, 2021-22 3.3 6.3
PLFS, 2022-23 2.4 5.4
PLFS, 2023-24 2.5 5.1
Source: Annual Report, PLFS, 2023-24
Note: 2023-24 refers to the period July 2023 – June 2024 likewise for
2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21, 2019-20, 2018-19 and 2017-18
From the PLFS conducted during the periods July 2021- June 2022 to
July 2023 - June 2024, the estimates of WPR in usual status (ps+ss)for both rural and urban areas and Percentage distribution of workers
in usual status (ps+ss) by status in employment in both rural and
urban areas are given in Tables below:
Worker Population Ratio (WPR) (in per cent) according to usual status
(ps+ss) in rural and urban areas from PLFS 2021-22, 2022-23 and
2023-24
All-India
WPR (in percent) according to usual status (ps+ss) in
survey (year)
Rural areas Urban areas
PLFS, 2021-22 40.8 36.6
PLFS, 2022-23 42.3 37.7
PLFS, 2023-24 45.6 38.9
Source: Annual Report, PLFS, 2023-24
Note: 2023-24 refers to the period July 2023 – June 2024 likewise for
2022-23 and 2021-22
Percentage distribution of workers in usual status (ps+ss) by status
in employment in both rural and urban areas from PLFS 2021-22,
2022-23 and 2023-24
All-India
Percentage distribution of workers in usual status
(ps+ss) among rural areas in
survey (year)
Self Regular wage /
Casual Labour
employed salary
PLFS, 2021-22 61.5 12.5 25.9
PLFS, 2022-23 63.0 12.2 24.8
PLFS, 2023-24 64.7 12.7 22.5
Percentage distribution of workers in usual status
(ps+ss) among urban areas in
survey (year)
Self Regular wage /
Casual Labour
employed salary
PLFS, 2021-22 39.5 47.1 13.4
PLFS, 2022-23 39.6 48.0 12.4
PLFS, 2023-24 40.4 47.5 12.1
Source: Annual Report, PLFS, 2023-24
Note: 2023-24 refers to the period July 2023 – June 2024 likewise for
2022-23 and 2021-22
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