Planning Commission’s deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Thursday doubted NSSO data which shows that labour force participation rate declined in 2009-10 compared to 2004-05, after the International Labour Organisation (ILO) expressed concern over rising unemployment in the country.
While labour minister Mallikarjun Kharge acknowledged that the labour force participation rate ? for both men and women ? had declined, Ahluwalia said the NSSO data ?is not useful? in portraying the actual picture on the job front.
Unveiling the Global Employment Trends report, ILO regional director Yoshiteru Uramoto said: ?India and other developing economies face rising unemployment and persistent under-employment, informality and working poverty. The use of contract labour is increasing. Some may say this is simply flexibility that allows individual businesses to respond to market demands. I say this is not a basis for moving an economy up the value chain or building solid domestic markets.?
?Rather, it undermines skill development, discourages investment in technology and increases social insecurity and industrial tension,? he added.
The ILO report finds that 400 million workers in South Asia are still below the $2-per-day poverty line. Labour productivity growth has also slowed in South Asia. What is worrisome is that of the 73 million unemployed youth globally, 34 million are in the Asia-Pacific region.
