Urban unemployment at 3-month low of 6.6% in Feb, signals labor market recovery

NEW DELHI: Unemployment rate in urban areas fell to a three-month low of 6.6% in Feb from 7% in the preceding month, signaling a recovery in the labour market in cities, while the rural joblessness rate remained unchanged at 4.2% during the month, the latest periodic labour force survey monthly bulletin released by National Statistics Office Monday showed.

The overall unemployment rate slowed marginally to 4.9% in Feb from 5% in the previous month. Women recorded the most significant improvement in employment indicators as the female unemployment rate dropped to 5.1% in Feb from 5.6% in Jan as the urban female unemployment rate slowed to 8.7% from 9.8% and the rural female joblessness rate eased to 4% from 4.3% during the corresponding time- period. This improvement also coincided with a modest rise in women’s labour force participation rate (LFPR) to 35.3% in Feb from 35.1% in Jan, meaning more women sought work during the month, even as the LFPR for people aged 15 years and above remained unchanged at 55.9% during the month.