The jobs data the government did not want you to see!

Rahul Gandhi has criticised the government about the growing unemployment rate. Representation pic

New Delhi: The periodic labour force survey of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), has pegged the unemployment rate for 2017-18 at a 45-year high of 6.1 per cent, Business Standard reported. On Monday, two National Statistical Commission (NSC) members resigned, alleging that despite NSC's approval, the government withheld the report's release.

The report, which has not been made public yet, mentions in 2017-18 the unemployment level was at its highest level since 1972-73 - the period since when the jobs data is comparable, documents reviewed by Business Standard show. According to the NSSO survey, in 2011-12 the unemployment rate stood at 2.2 per cent. PLFS is NSSO's first annual household survey conducted for July 2017-June 2018. This is the first comprehensive employment survey conducted by a government agency since demonetisation came into effect in November 2016.

Youth Congress workers at the Yuva Kranti Yatra in New Delhi. Pic/PTI

The report further states that urban areas had the highest percentage of joblessness (7.8 per cent) than rural areas of the country (5.3 per cent). As the labour force participation rate stood at a lower level than the previous years, more people were withdrawing from the work force. According to the report, in 2017-18 the joblessness rate among the youth was at a significantly higher level as compared to the previous years. The rate of joblessness among rural males between 15 to 29 years of age jumped to 17.4 per cent in 2017-18 from 5 per cent in 2011-12.

Similarly, the unemployment rate for female youth in rural areas was 13.6 per cent in 2017-18 compared to 4.8 per cent in 2011-12. "We are in the middle of a deep job crisis though the reason cannot be entirely attributed to demonetisation as this had been building up for quite some time. Job creation was low even during the previous government's tenure," said Himanshu, associate professor at Jawaharlal University. The report further mentions that the labour force participation rate (LFPR) declined to 36.9 per cent in 2017-18 from 39.5 per cent in 2011-12.

Since 2004-2005 the LFPR has been declining. Compared to 2011-12, the dip in LFPR was at a higher pace in 2017-18, but at a lower speed than what was witnessed in 2009-10. The unemployment rate among the educated also went up in 2017-18 compared to 2004-05. (Reported by Business Standard)

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