New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) The latest available annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) reports show that the estimated Unemployment Rate (UR) for India’s youths in the 15-29 years age group has decreased from 17.8 per cent in 2017-18 to 10.2 per cent in 2023-24, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.

As per latest Annual PLFS Reports, the estimated Worker Population Ratio (WPR), indicating employment, including public and private sector, on usual status for persons of age 15 years and above has increased from 50.9 per cent in 2019-20 to 58.2 per cent in 2023-24, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

In the case of rural areas, the estimated Worker Population Ratio (WPR), indicating employment, including public and private sectors, on usual status for persons aged 15 years and above, has increased from 53.3 per cent in 2019–20 to 62.1 per cent in 2023–24. In the case of urban areas, the estimate for employment has risen from 45.8 per cent to 49.4 per cent over this period, the minister said.

The latest available Annual PLFS reports also show that the estimated Unemployment Rate (UR) on usual status for persons aged 15 years and above has decreased from 6 per cent in 2017-18 to 3.2 per cent in 2023-24, the minister said.

The unincorporated non-agricultural sector employed more than 12 crore workers between October 2023 and September 2024, marking an increase of more than one crore workers from 2022-23, reflecting a robust 10.01 per cent growth in the labour market, according to the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE 2023-24).

The proportion of female workers to total workers has increased from 25.63 per cent in ASUSE 2022-23 to 28.12 per cent in ASUSE 2023-24. About 58 per cent of the establishments were headed by female proprietors in the Manufacturing sector during the survey period, the official survey stated.

–IANS

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