Unemployment Rate was 28.5% in Capital in Oct-Nov; for Women 54.7%: Delhi Govt Survey

A survey commissioned by the Delhi government to gauge the employment scenario in the national capital revealed that the unemployment rate had risen to 28.5% between October-November last year against 11.1% in January-February – months preceding the COVID-19 lockdown in India.

The survey, prepared by the Delhi government and the Centre for Market Research and Social Development, was accessed by The Indian Express.  It sampled 44,226 people of which 32,052 were above the age of 15.

It recommended a “job guarantee scheme” to revive the city’s economy given that out of about 89% of the unemployed people surveyed 56% continue to remain without work for close to half a year and are still on the lookout for a job. It reportedly said that about 30% of the respondents said the economic slump was responsible for them losing their jobs while 29.3% said closure of businesses led to the situation.

Even among those employed close to seven per cent were said to be making less than Rs 5,000 a month in January-February while the chunk of those earning between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 a month fell to  20% in October last year.

The survey also revealed startling findings about the employment status of women in the capital. While their unemployment rate was 25.6% before the COVID-19 disruption in March, it rose sharply to 54.7% in October-November last year. The same increased to 23.2% from 8.7% for men.

“However, 83.1% female respondents were out of labour force, while the female labour force participation rate (LFPR) was 16.9%, female work force participation rate (WPR) was 7.6% and the female unemployment rate (UR) was 54.7% during survey in October – November 2020,” the survey reportedly said.

The survey further mentioned that unemployment was highest among those between the ages of 15 and 25 years of age with the rate climbing to 28.2% after the lockdown from 25.5% before it. It also registered a sharp increase in the case of those aged over 60, climbing to 27.4% following the lockdown as against 8.8% before it. 

“The percentage of reduction in employment in various top sectors were: specialised construction activities (43%), Food and beverage service activities (31%), Education (30%), Wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (25%), Services to buildings and landscape activities (25%), Information service activities (22%), Land transport and transport via pipelines (22%),” the survey reportedly said.

According to the Centre For Monitoring Indian Economy’s data, the unemployment rate in India stands at 6.5% at present with urban unemployment at 7.1% while rural India is at 6.2%.

Close to three weeks ago hundreds upon thousands of youths had taken to social media demanding jobs using hashtags like #modi_job_do and #मोदी_रोजगार_दो.

About one out of every five workers from the informal sector are either out of the labour market or are currently unemployed, a survey by the Azim Premji University for the post-lockdown period between October and December, 2020, had recently said.

The number of unemployed persons across the country stood at a staggering 5.29 crore in the quarter which ended in December 2020.