A step backward

PLFS reveals transformation of economy has stalled

In developing countries like India, the headline numbers for unemployment must be treated with caution. It is well understood by development economists that, unlike in wealthier countries, unemployment in economies where a large proportion of the population live below or close to the poverty line is, in fact, a luxury. It is the facts about labour movement across sectors —along with average wages in various sectors — that are more revealing about the state of the labour force. That is why countries like India typically have low unemployment numbers. This is the context within which the recent release of the