SURJIT SINGH
The latest survey data from the Center for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) suggests that unemployment under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration will be a worse epidemic than corona. India’s unemployment situation has already deteriorated in the previous five years, and it is currently deteriorating even further. The data that have been released are appalling. You have the option of seeking treatment in a hospital if somehow you get caught in the grip of the corona. But the Modi government does not seem to provide any ‘treatment’ if you are trapped in the epidemic of unemployment in India.
The CMIE has compared the situation in September 2016 and August 2021. The situation that has come up is a matter of grave concern for us. But our government is steeped in Hindu-Muslim, nationalism, and superstition. He is unconcerned about it, and his supporters take joy in it as well. Here, we’ll discuss five indicators of poor job condition:
Manpower increased, work decreased
We calculate the number of people who start work in our country according to age. Anyone above 15 years of age is considered to be of working age. According to the CMIE data, there has been a 12 percent increase in the population of people above this age in August 2021 as compared to September 2016. But the number of jobs has come down by 5 percent. Not only this, the number of working people has come down by 38 percent.
Unemployment rate among job seekers is 50 percent
According to statistics, if 100 persons were looking for work in September 2016, 68 of them would have found work. That means, 32 employees were not hired. However, by September 2021, the situation had deteriorated significantly. Today, if 100 people apply for a job, only 50 of them will be hired. Fifty people are unemployed. As a result, the unemployment rate for job searchers has risen to 50%.
Education doesn’t guarantee jobs
For years, we’ve been told that the only way to acquire a good job is by getting a good education. However, this regulation is no longer valid. It is difficult to find work no matter what you study. According to the most recent CMIE data, just 91 graduates were hired in August 2021, compared to 100 in September 2016. Education has been impacted by the shortage of jobs. If 100 working persons graduated five years ago, just 98 are graduating currently. This means that while the number of persons over the age of 15 has risen, the number of those graduating has fallen.
Huge reduction in monthly salaried jobs
Job opportunities with a wage (monthly salary) have grown scarce. According to the data, the number of people acquiring salaried positions has decreased from 100 in September 2016 to 91 in September 2021.
50 percent reduction in employment in the city
The situation in terms of employment has become just the opposite of what it was before. People’s interest in agriculture declined after liberalisation in both developed and developing countries, although the work opportunities grew. People began to relocate from village to metropolis. As a result, people’s standard of living improved. The level of living standards in the villages also improved as the total number of family members reliant on agriculture decreased. People stepped out of the vicious trap of poverty.
But now things are different. Migration from cities is now happening at a rapid pace. That is, movement is happening in the opposite direction. In September 2016, 100 people worked in agriculture and 37 in factories or companies, according to CMIE data. Now, the August 2021 data shows that the number of people employed in agriculture has climbed to 105, while the number of people employed in factories or companies has decreased to 19. This means that the number of people working in the urban area has come down to half.
(To read this article in Hindi please click here)
