PLFS data: 5.1% unemployment, rising women’s workforce

• Unemployment Rate (UR) among persons aged 15 and above in India was 5.1% in April, according to the first monthly bulletin of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).

• Male unemployment rate was higher at 5.2%, while female unemployment was 5%.

• Rural unemployment rate was 4.5%, urban unemployment was 6.5%, and urban unemployment among females aged 15 and 29 was 23.7%.

• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in CWS among persons aged 15 and above was 55.6%, with LFPR in rural areas at 58% and in urban areas at 50.7%.

• Worker Population Ratio (WPR) in rural areas was 55.4%, with WPR in urban areas at 47.4%.

• Labour economist Sridhar Kundu criticized the revamped PLFS for not providing adequate information about the functioning of labour market-oriented government schemes and wage rates in various sectors.