India\`s unemployment rate jumps to 7.83% in April

The unemployment rate of India grew to 7.83% in April from 7.60% in March_ according to recent data by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE).

The unemployment rate in urban areas rose to 9.22% last month from 8.28% in March_ the data showed.

In the rural areas_ the unemployment rate slipped to 7.18% from 7.29% in the previous month.

The highest unemployment rate was recorded in the country's northern state of Haryana_ where the rate stands at 34.5% followed by Rajsthan at 28.8%_ Bihar 21.1% and Jammu and Kashmir 15.6%.

CMIE managing director Mahesh Vyas told that the labour force participation rate and the employment rate also increased in the last month. The employment rate rose 37.05% from 36.46% in April_ he added.

Economists say job opportunities in the country have been hit by sluggish domestic demand and the slow pace of economic recovery amid inflation.

Retail inflation grew to a 17-month high of 6.95% March_ and is likely to peak around 7.5% later this year_ Shilan Shah_ economist at Capital Economics_ Singapore_ said.

The CMIE does not release its own monthly figures and the data is closely watched by economists and policymakers. The proportion of people in employment or seeking work among the working population slipped to 39.5% in March 2022 from 43.7% during same month of 2019_ according to CMIE's earlier data_ watched by economists and policymakers.