India's unemployment rate surges to 1-year high of 8.3% in August: CMIE

02 Sep 2022 Evaluate

The Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) in its latest data has showed that India's unemployment rate surged to a one-year high of 8.3 per cent in August 2022 as employment sequentially fell by 2 million to 394.6 million. During July 2022, the unemployment rate was at 6.8 per cent and the employment was 397 million.

CMIE managing director Mahesh Vyas said the urban unemployment rate is usually higher at about 8 per cent than the rural unemployment rate, which is usually around 7 per cent. In August the urban unemployment rate shot up to 9.6 per cent and rural unemployment rate also increased to 7.7 per cent. He further stated that erratic rainfall affected sowing activities and this is one of the reasons for the increase in unemployment in rural India. The unemployment rate in rural India rose from 6.1 per cent in July to 7.7 per cent in August. More importantly, the employment rate fell from 37.6 per cent to 37.3 per cent.

Vyas said ‘going forward, the rural unemployment rate may come down as delayed monsoon will increase agricultural activities towards the end of the monsoon season. However, it is not clear how the urban unemployment rate will play out in the coming months. Currently, it is quite elevated’.

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