Chandigarh, Jan 7: Haryana has recorded its lowest unemployment rate in seven years, with fresh survey data pointing to consistent job creation across rural and urban areas, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Tuesday.
Referring to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey, Saini said the state’s overall employment situation has improved significantly since 2017–18. “The numbers show that Haryana is moving in the right direction after years of high joblessness,” he said.
According to the survey, rural unemployment has declined to 31 per 1,000 persons, while urban unemployment stands at 40 per 1,000. These are the lowest levels recorded in recent years, officials said, noting that both segments had seen sharp spikes during the pre-pandemic period.
Year-wise data shows that urban unemployment, which stood at 73 per 1,000 in 2017–18, and rural unemployment at 93 per 1,000, began a steady decline after the pandemic disruptions, reaching a seven-year low in 2023–24.
State officials said employment growth has been driven by manufacturing units, infrastructure projects, logistics hubs and service-sector expansion. “Close to 1.5 million people have gained jobs in the last five years due to industrial estates, MSMEs and start-up activity,” an official said.
The survey also noted a reduction in the rural-urban employment gap, with rural areas benefiting from allied agriculture, local industries and government livelihood schemes. Urban unemployment, though higher, has eased as new industrial clusters absorbed migrant and young workers.
Youth unemployment fell slightly to 15.4%, with rural youth facing higher joblessness than their urban counterparts. Female unemployment remained a concern at 25.1%, compared to 13.8% among males.
“The figures are encouraging, but sustainability is key,” said a labour economist. “Skill alignment, wage growth and women’s participation will determine whether this trend holds.”
Officials said recent policy steps, including ease-of-doing-business reforms, incentives for private investment and support for start-ups, have contributed to employment gains. Analysts said future progress will depend on diversification of the services sector and focused measures to improve workforce inclusion.
