Why is it in the news?

• Unemployment rate in urban areas dropped from 2% (July-September 2022) to 6.6% (July–September 2023) according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).
• The Survey was released by the Union Labour Ministry.

Key Findings of the Survey

Unemployment rate for persons aged 15 and above was 6.6%

• Male category experienced a 6% unemployment rate.
• Female category saw a decrease from 9.4% (July–September last year) to 8.6% (July–September this year).

Worker Population Ratio Increase

• Percentage of employed persons in the population (worker population ratio) in urban areas rose from 44.5% (July-September 2022) to 46% (July-September 2023) for those aged 15 and above.
• Male category witnessed an increase from 68.6% to 69.4%.
• Female category experienced an increase from 19.7% to 21.9%.

Uptick in Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR)

• LFPR in urban areas increased from 47.9% (July-September 2022) to 49.3% (July–September 2023) for those aged 15 and above.
• Male LFPR increased from 73.4% to 73.8% during the same period.
• Female LFPR increased from 21.7% to 24.0% during the same period.