New Delhi, Feb 16 (IANS) The overall Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) showed steady trend in the month of January, as for persons aged 15 years and above, urban workforce participation for male and female remained broadly unchanged in January, 2026 at 70.5 per cent and 23.0 per cent, respectively, compared to December 2025, data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation said on Monday.

Male unemployment rate in the age group 15 years and above remained unchanged in rural areas, while slight declines are observed due to slowdown in winters and post-harvest slack, the data showed.

LFPR among persons of age 15 years and above was reported as 55.9 per cent in January. Rural LFPR was 58.7 per cent while urban LFPR was observed as 50.3 per cent last month (against 50.2 per cent in December 2025).

Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in January was reported as 35.1 per cent. Rural female LFPR was found to be 39.7 per cent, while urban female LFPR reached 25.5 per cent during the month.

The overall Worker Population Ratio (WPR) in the age group 15 years and above exhibited a broad stability in January 2026.

Urban WPR remained stable across genders and was recorded as 70.5 per cent for males, 23.0 per cent for female and 46.8 per cent at the person level in January 2026, the data showed.

The marginal decline in the LFPR and the WPR and rise in the UR in January 2026 is primarily rural-driven, with seasonal factors, post-harvest slack, and discouragement effects playing a key role.

“Many activities like construction, agriculture, allied work, transport, small trade, etc. slowdown in winter. Urban areas remained stable,” according to an official statement.

The overall workforce showed a stable pattern during the period April 2025 to January 2026.

The PLFS is the primary source of data on activity participation and employment and unemployment conditions of the population.

–IANS

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