53.6% of women in J&K struggle to find jobs

Srinagar, Jan 13: In a stark illustration of the economic challenges besetting Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) has revealed that the Union Territory has the highest unemployment rate for women in India, with a staggering 53.6% of young females aged 15-29 actively seeking jobs yet unable to find any.

The PLFS data underscores the troubling landscape of joblessness in J&K, where the overall youth unemployment rate among urban job seekers in this age group is reported at 32%. This figure is significantly higher than in more industrialised regions such as Delhi, which has an unemployment rate of only 4.3% for the same demographic. Nationally, the average unemployment rate among young women stands at 21%, further highlighting the severity of J&K's crisis.

The report, which covers the July-September quarter of 2024, reveals that more than half of the young urban women in the Union Territory have been left without job opportunities. This alarming figure has pushed many women out of the service sector and into agriculture, indicating a trend of distressed employment where individuals are compelled to settle for low-wage, precarious jobs.

Despite a relatively high female urban labour force participation rate of 30.2% among youth, which is second only to Himachal Pradesh, the dire unemployment statistics suggest a deep-seated issue within J&K’s job market.

The government's efforts to rectify the situation, including incentive schemes aimed at enhancing internship programs and creating job opportunities, have so far proven insufficient. Experts argue that a more comprehensive and targeted approach is necessary to tackle the structural issues plaguing employment in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Directorate of Employment (DoE) reported that over 352,000 youth were registered as unemployed in the first quarter of 2024, with nearly 31% being graduates and postgraduates. As the situation continues to deteriorate, the urgent need for sustainable job creation and economic revitalization remains paramount.