Unemployment rate up at 4.9% in 2013-14

Unemployment rate in India rose to 4.9 per cent in 2013-14, mainly on account of increase in joblessness in rural areas despite the government's flagship employment scheme MGNREGA.

According to the latest survey report by Labour Bureau, a wing of the labour ministry, the unemployment rate inched up to 4.9 per cent at all India level last fiscal, from 4.7 per cent in 2012-13.

On the positive side, the unemployment rate dropped in urban areas to 5.5 per cent in 2013-14, from 5.7 per cent in the previous fiscal.

Meanwhile, although 93 per cent of the households in rural areas benefited from MGNREGA, the unemployment rate increased to 4.7 per cent last fiscal, compared to 4.4 per cent a year ago.

Unemployment rate among men increased to 4.1 per cent in 2013-14, from 4 per cent in 2012-13. Among women, it increased to 7.7 per cent last fiscal, from 7.2 per cent in 2012-13.

However, the unemployment rate among women came down to 12.4 per cent in urban areas, from 12.8 per cent in 2012-13.

The study revealed that the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) is estimated to be 52.5 per cent last fiscal, whereas the Worker Population Ratio (WPR) is estimated to be 49.9 per cent.

As many as 49.5 per cent people are estimated to be self employed, followed by 30.9 per cent as casual labour, 16.5 per cent wage/salary earners and the rest 3 per cent as contract workers.

About 60.5 per cent of people aged 15 years and above, who were available for work for all the 12 months during the period, were able to get work throughout the year. In rural and urban sectors, this proportion was 53.2 per cent and 78.5 per cent respectively.

The 'Fourth Annual Employment & Unemployment Survey 2013-14' has been conducted in all the states/UTs by covering all the districts. The field work was executed from January to July last year.

A total of 136,395 households were covered by the survey -- 83,385 in rural areas and 53,010 in urban areas.