J&K among 6 states worst hit by urban joblessness in 2019

ZT TEAM REPORT

Srinagar: Jammu & Kashmir was among six other states worst hit by urban joblessness during July-September quarter.

According to the periodic labour force survey of urban areas for the period July-September; J&K, Gujarat, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh saw rising joblessness in cities in July-September, even as the overall unemployment rate in the country declined to 8.4 per cent, compared to 8.9 per cent in the previous quarter.

The states which saw labour force participation rate (LFPR) for females rising for the first time in a year (since July-September 2018) were: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh.

The highest spike in the urban unemployment rate was seen in Gujarat where it rose 1.3 percentage points to 4.3 per cent – possibly due to a lower base effect. It was followed by Kerala where the unemployment rate jumped to 13.9 per cent in July-September 2019, compared to 12.8 per cent in the previous quarter, and Andhra Pradesh where the rate of joblessness inched up one percentage point to 10.1 per cent.

Moreover, for the first time in a year, the LFPR for females went up in cities. It rose from 19 per cent in April-June 2019 to 20.3 per cent in July-September 2019.