Unemployment rate dips to 7.2% in July-September 2022

NEW DELHI: Unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above in urban areas declined to 7.2% during JulySeptember 2022 from 9.8% a year ago, the National Statistical Office (NSO) said on Thursday.

Joblessness or unemployment rate is defined as the percentage of unemployed persons among the labour force. Joblessness was high in JulySeptember 2021 mainly due to the staggering impact of Covidrelated restrictions in the country.

The latest data based on a periodic labour force survey point towards a sustained economic recovery from the shadow of the pandemic. The unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above in April-June 2022 was 7.6% in urban areas, the 16th Periodic

Labour Force Survey (PLFS) showed.

It also showed that the unemployment rate among females (aged 15 years and above) in urban areas declined to 9.4% in July-September, 2022 from 11.6% a year ago. It was 9.5% in April-June, 2022.

Among males, the unemployment rate in urban areas dipped to 6.6% in July-September 2022 compared to 9.3% a year ago. It was 7.1% in April-June 2022.

Labour force participation rate in CWS (Current Weekly Status) in urban areas for persons aged 15 years and above increased to 47.9% in the JulySeptember quarter of 2022, from 46.9% in the same period a year ago. It was 47.5% in AprilJune 2022.

Labour force refers to the part of the population which supplies or offers to supply labour for pursuing economic activities for the production of goods and services and, therefore, includes both employed and unemployed persons.

NSO launched PLFS in April 2017. On the basis of PLFS, a quarterly bulletin is brought out giving estimates of labour force indicators namely unemployment rate, Worker Population Ratio (WPR), Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), distribution of workers by broad status in employment and industry of work in CWS.

SHUTTERSTOCK Joblessness was high in JulySeptember 2021.