Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Enhancements
India's Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has upgraded the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), initially launched in 2017 to replace quinquennial Employment-Unemployment Surveys, now offering more frequent and comprehensive labour market data.
Key Improvements
- Introduction of monthly PLFS data starting from April, providing more timely labour market insights.
- Enhanced sample design and increased sample size to 2,72,304 households, marking a 2.65 times increase compared to previous surveys.
- Transition of the primary geographical unit to the district level to improve representativeness.
- Annual reporting period now aligned to the calendar year, from January 2025.
Significance of Changes
- Monthly data enhances policy evaluation, especially during economic disruptions like pandemics or demonetisation.
- Improved credibility and timeliness of data critical for attracting global investors as India's economy grows.
Current Labour Market Statistics
- The overall unemployment rate in India is 5.1%.
- Urban unemployment is higher at 6.5%.
- Female unemployment in urban areas stands at 8.7%.
- Youth unemployment (ages 15-29) is alarming:
- All-India: 13.8%
- Urban areas: 17.2%
- Young urban women: 23.7%
The goal of these PLFS methodological improvements is to deliver more timely and reliable labor market data, which is crucial for international reporting and policymaking.
