Why in the News?

The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) has reported that the unemployment rate in the country has shown a decrease between April and June 2023.

Key Observations of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS):

• Improved Work Metrics: Both the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) and Worker-Population Ratio (WPR) showed positive trends in the recent period.
• Urban Employment Trends: In urban areas, LFPR increased from 47.5% (April-June 2022) to 48.8% (April-June 2023) for individuals aged 15 and above.
• The WPR in urban areas rose from 43.9% (April-June 2022) to 45.5% in the corresponding months this year.
• Gender-specific Changes:
• Male LFPR increased from 68.3% to 69.2%.
• Female LFPR showed notable growth from 18.9% to 21.1% during the observed period.

What is the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS):

• Conducted by the National Sample Survey (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
• Launched in April 2017 by the National Statistical Office (NSO) to provide more frequent labour force data.

Objectives:

• Estimate key employment and unemployment indicators every three months for urban areas.
• Annually estimate indicators for both 'Usual Status' and 'Current Weekly Status' in rural and urban areas.
• Key Indicators:
• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): Percentage of individuals in the population who are part of the labour force (working, seeking, or available for work).
• Worker Population Ratio (WPR): Percentage of employed persons in the population.
• Unemployment Rate (UR): Percentage of unemployed persons among those in the labour force.
• Current Weekly Status (CWS): Activity status determined based on the activities in the last 7 days before the survey.