„Highest addition since lockdown Nearly 12 mn jobs added in January

Public personalities such as Democrat Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez and singer JLo are upping the facemask style quotient with chains and lanyards

Around 12 million people were employed in January, the highest monthly addition since the lockdown. This saw the unemployment rate easing to 6.5 per cent last month.

Nearly 12 million people were employed during January taking the number of employed people to

400.7 million as compared to 388.8 million in December. This was the highest addition since lock-down began in March

2020. The surge in employment in January also compensated for the loss in the past three months, according to the data of Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE).

"Month-over-month variations in employment rarely crossed the 5 million mark before the lockdown. The increase in January was twice this max variation. Also, after the initial months of sharp fall and rise in employment during the lockdown, the recovery process had slowed down and then stalled even before the recovery was complete. Employment declined in each of the three months October through December 2020. The recovery in January

2021 is therefore a welcome relief," said Mahesh Vyas, CEO of CMIE.

This helped the unemployment rate ease to 6.5 per cent from 9.1 per cent in December. The unemployment rate was volatile in the past six months, ranging from a low of 6.5 per cent in November to a high of 9.1 per cent in December. The average unemployment rate during this six-month period was on the higher side at about 7.4 per cent.

"The two most recent months December and January have seen an unusual jump in this volatility. In December

2020, India added 11.3 million unemployed persons. In January, India saw the count of unemployed decline by 10.7 million. These are extraordinary variations. Perhaps, the sharp rise in the unemployed in December was extraordinary and in January India has reverted to its normal count of unemployed, which seems to average at about 28 million,” said Vyas.

In January 2021, there were 27.9 million unemployed people who were actively looking for work, while there were another

12.1 million who were also unemployed and willing to work. But they were not actively looking for work.

CMIE does not consider these in its computation of the unemployment rate.

Unemployed people, who were willing to work but did not have any employment in January 2021 was 40 million. While this is a large number, it is the lowest in over two years, it said.

“Lot of pent up demand in the B2B industry has started getting released as the fear of the second wave of the pandemic receded. IT budgets in the western world which were earlier put on freeze have been re-allocated. More companies are now hiring technical skills and domain experts. Infrastructure companies are hiring at a rapid pace because of increased government spending in the sector. Funded start-ups continue their hiring momentum. All these factors contributed to decline in the unemployment rate in January,” said Aditya Narayan Mishra, director and CEO of CIEL HR Services.

Vaccines or not, face masks are going nowhere yet. So besides making masks in silk, tweed, satin and linen materials, with prints and frills that match outfits in the morning or night-time gatherings, designers have now added a chain (or lanyard) to the masks, for not only extra safekeeping but also added style. Soon, you can take your pick from chains in gold, silver, gunmetal strung around your masks.

Constipation is a frequent side-effect in cancer patients and is a source of great discomfort, which can lead to belly pain, swelling, bloating, gas and even nausea. In general, constipation occurs as the stool takes a longer time to travel through the large intestine (also known as the colon), which allows more water to be absorbed, leading to hard, dry stool. Interestingly, one can have constipation and diarrhoea at the same time as liquid stool can pass behind the obstructing solid stool. Medicines such as morphine (belonging to a class of medicines called opioids) bind to receptors in the gastrointestinal system and slow down the transit time in the gut, leading to constipation. Below are a few recommendations that can help with constipation:

Eating high-fibre foods, such as whole-wheat chapati, wholegrain and bran breads/cereals, oats, fruits, vegetables, prunes, lentils, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds in meals and snacks daily can help prevent constipation. However, remember that the increase in fibre should be gradual and not sudden.

SPEAKING OF FIBRE

Soluble fibre absorbs water, making stool softer and improving its form and consistency, which makes it easier to pass through your intestines. Examples include oats, apples, beans and peas.

Insoluble fibre adds bulk to the stool, easing its passage through the intestines, and can help in the movement of material through the digestive system. It also helps expel stool rapidly. Examples include the skin of fruits, whole wheat flour and brown rice.

OTHER FACTORS THAT EASE OUT CONSTIPATION

Patients with constipation should have a goal of eight cups of total fluids each day. Try warm water and prune juice. Avoid foods and drinks that cause gas, such as cabbage and carbonated beverages.

Avoid chewing gum. Above all, it is important to exercise and stay active as this can help movement of food in the gut.