Jobless rate in urban areas fell to 7.9% in Q3 of last year, shows data

The unemployment rate in urban areas fell to 7.9% in Q3 of 2019-20, from 8.4% in the previous quarter, showed the latest periodic labour force survey released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. However, it rose moderately for females to 9.8% from 9.7%.

Males, on the other hand, saw a substantial decline in the rate to 7.3% from 8%. Poll-bound Bihar, where parties are competing against one another to make job promises, did not see any change in the rate at 8.6%.

Here also, women saw a rise in unemployment rate compared to men.

Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Odisha, Rajasthan, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh etc. had a higher proportion of people in urban areas as unemployed in Q3. Madhya Pradesh, where 28 constituencies will go for a bypoll next month that will clinch the fate of the BJP government, had an unemployment rate higher than the national average.

Gujarat, on the other hand, had the lowest jobless rate at 3.3% followed by Karnataka at 4.3%.