Bhubaneswar: The unemployment rate among graduates and postgraduates in Odisha is higher than the national average, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) report for July 2023 to June 2024. The report, released by the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (MoSPI) recently, said 18.9 per cent of graduates and 13.6 per cent postgraduates in Odisha are unemployed against the national average of 13 per cent and 12.4 per cent, respectively. It said neighbouring states like Jharkhand and West Bengal have fared better than Odisha during the period.
“The unemployment rate among graduates in Jharkhand and West Bengal is 7.5 per cent and 8.5 per cent, respectively, while in the case of postgraduates, it stood 6.4 per cent (Jharkhand) and 7.7 per cent (West Bengal),” the report said. The latest survey report said 5.1 per cent of Odisha youths (those 15 and above) are unemployed against the national average of 4.9 per cent during the period. “The unemployment rate in urban Odisha stood at 8.1 per cent, while it was 4.7 per cent in rural Odisha,” it said. The report said 44.9 per cent people in Odisha are working in the agriculture sector, while it was 44.7 per cent in 2022-23.
State’s tertiary sector, on the other hand, saw engagement of 27.6 per cent people against 29 per cent in 2022-23. The national average from July 2023- June 2024 stood 31.6 per cent. The declining rate of participation in state’s tertiary sector also impacted the average salary earnings of individuals, in comparison to the national figure. “The average salary earned by individuals in the formal sector in Odisha was Rs 18,671 during July-September 2023 against the national figure of Rs 20,095. However, as the simultaneous elections approached, the average salary of an individual in Odisha rose up to Rs 19,567 during April-June 2024,” it pointed out.
Even though the average salary earned by individuals in Odisha saw an increase during April-June 2024, it was less than that received by those in neighbouring states. “An individual in Andhra Pradesh received an average of Rs 21,459, while in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand it was Rs 19,753 and Rs 18,664, respectively,” it said.
Similarly, in case of daily wage earnings, the average income of an individual in Odisha was Rs 355. It was Rs 78 less than the national average. While a daily wage worker earned Rs 583 in Andhra Pradesh, it was Rs 384 in West Bengal and Rs 398 in Jharkhand, the report said. Meanwhile, the Worker Population Ration (WPR) in Odisha was 62.9 per cent against the national average of 58.2 percent.
DEBADURLLAV HARICHANDAN, OP
