State of employment in India: what a new report say about youth and women concern and caution

Context: India Employment Report 2024 released by the Institute for Human Development and International Labor Organization

Key findings of the report:

• Women’s labor force participation rate (LFPR’0 in 2022 was 32.8%, which is 2.3 times lower than men’s LFPR of 77.2%.
• Almost 82% of the workforce engaged in the informal sector.
• Self-employment is the primary source of employment, accounting for 55.8% in 2022.
• The share of agriculture in total employment fell to around 42% in 2019 from 60% in 2000, with construction and services absorbing this shift.

The way ahead:

• Promote job creation and improve employment quality.
• Address labour market inequalities and strengthen skills development.
• Bridge knowledge deficits on labour market patterns and youth employment.
• Address challenges in gig or platform work, such as job security and irregular wages.
• Boost productive non-farm employment, particularly in manufacturing.
• Provide support to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, including digitalization and AI tools and a cluster-based approach to manufacturing.

Source: Indian Express