1st Quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey: At 29.6%, unemployment rate in Himachal highest in country; double the national average

As per the survey, rural unemployment in Himachal Pradesh stood at 29.1 per cent in April-June quarter, and 31.3 per cent in urban areas. This despite the hill state registering the highest labour force participation in the country. In the age group of 15 years and above — those working or looking for jobs — Himachal led with 70.3 per cent, higher than the national average of 55 per cent.

The share of such youth in Punjab was at 54.3 per cent, followed by Haryana at 47.1 per cent.

In Punjab, the unemployment rate for the quarter was 20.2 per cent and in Haryana, it was 15.6 per cent.

In the 2024 Periodic Labour Force Survey, which was complied after studying yearly data for the age group 15-29, Himachal Pradesh saw the second highest unemployment rate at 63.3 per cent, only after Andaman & Nicobar Islands, which was at 65.1 per cent. As per that survey, Haryana had unemployment rate of 38.7 per cent in 2024, and Punjab 46.6 per cent.

The unemployment rate in Himachal Pradesh has been rising and the latest economic survey also painted a grim picture.

According to the Himachal Pradesh Department of Labour and Employment, 6,75,671 youths, including specially-abled, had registered with the state employment exchange from April-December 2024, against 11,993 notified vacancies — private (11,448) and government (545). Of the total, only 5,439 youths (.80 per cent) got jobs in the corresponding period through the employment exchange.

While 1,069 placements were made in the government sector, 4,370 youths got private jobs. At 1,38,191, the highest number of job seekers were from Kangra district, followed by Mandi (1,35,106) and Shimla (58,420). Kangra and Mandi, the two most populated districts of the state and also the worst affected by natural disasters, have always registered a much higher unemployment rate.

Unemployment rocks Assembly sessions

Unemployment in the hill state has also been a topic of debate in subsequent Assembly sessions, with the Opposition BJP staging walkouts demanding a clear picture on the job situation.

In a reply to a question by Bharmour MLA Janak Raj during the 2024 monsoon session of Assembly, the government informed the House that the unemployment rate in the state rose from 4% in 2021-22 to 4.4% in 2022-23.

According to the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government’s reply last year, the total number of unemployed youth, who had registered their names at the employment exchange across the state till July 2024, was 7,08,230. As per the reply, Kangra had the highest 1,49,514 unemployed people, followed by Mandi (1,41,082), Shimla (62,198), Hamirpur (54,832), and Chamba (54,705).

Of the total unemployed, 3,81,534 (53.87%) are men and 3,26,696 (46.12%) are women.

Kangra had the highest 68,977 unemployed women, followed by Mandi (59,196) and Sirmaur (26,735). Kinnaur is the only district where there are more unemployed women (3,858) than men (2,630).

This year, too, debates around unemployment have rocked the House with the BJP claiming that the Congress government has not done enough to provide jobs in the state.

Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, Saturday, said Congress, in the run up to the 2022 Assembly polls, had promised 5 lakh jobs in five years, but after coming to power, it abolished several jobs.

“Giving guarantees of permanent jobs and not fulfilling the commitment after coming to power is ‘vote chori’. Congress has formed its government in Himachal Pradesh by stealing votes,” he said talking tio the media outside the Assembly.

CM Sukhu, however, said that so far 23,191 youth have been given jobs in the government sector. He said that in the last two years, 5,960 new government posts have been created, while 1,783 unnecessary posts have been abolished. Replying to a question from Vipin Parmar and Satpal Singh Satti of the BJP, Sukhu also further informed the House that 7,000 appointments have been made in the Education Department, 5,000 pump operators have been employed in the Jal Shakti Department and 1,100 nurses were given jobs in the health department.

The CM told the House that 2,000 Van Mitras have been enrolled in the Forest Department, and 700 posts of home guards, 100 vacancies of junior engineers and 800 for patwaris would be filled soon.

Thakur differed. “The reality is that on July 31, 2024, the Assembly was told that 34,980 jobs had been provided. On August 15, 2025, the CM said 23,195 jobs were given. There is a difference of around 11,000 jobs,” he said, adding that this is a crude joke on the people of the state.