The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)

General Studies Paper -3

Context

The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for June 2025 has been released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)

• The PLFS gives estimates of key employment and unemployment Indicators.
• These indicators are:
• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): It is the percentage of persons in the labour force (i.e. working or seeking or available for work) in the population.
• Worker Population Ratio (WPR): WPR is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population.
• Unemployment Rate (UR): UR is defined as the percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the labour force.
• Current Weekly Status (CWS): The activity status determined on the basis of a reference period of last 7 days preceding the date of survey.

Major Highlights

• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) among persons of age 15 years and above was 54.2 % during June 2025 as compared to 54.8% during May, 2025.
• LFPR in rural areas was 56.1% and LFPR in urban areas was 50.4%.
• Worker Population Ratio (WPR) in rural areas among persons of age 15 years and above was 53.3% during June, 2025.
• WPR in urban areas among persons of the same age group was 46.8% with the overall WPR at the country level observed as 51.2%.
• The unemployment rate for females and males of all ages above 15 was 5.6%.
• While for men, the rate remained same as of May, for females, there was a decrease in UR by 0.1 percentage point.
• While the rural unemployment rate decreased by 0.2 percentage points, the urban unemployment rate increased by 0.2 percentage points between May and June.
• The marginal decline in LFPR and WPR was largely influenced by seasonal agricultural patterns, intense summer heat limiting outdoor physical work, and a shift of some unpaid helpers, particularly from higher-income rural households, towards domestic chores.

Government Initiatives to Increase Women Participation in Labour Force:

• Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY): Under PMMY, women can avail of micro-credit loans without collateral to set up small enterprises, helping women overcome barriers related to accessing capital.
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme: The scheme works to prevent gender-based discrimination and violence, focusing on changing societal attitudes towards girls.
  • It promotes education, health, and empowerment, which indirectly increases women’s participation in the labor force.
• Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017: The Act extended the maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks for women working in establishments with more than 10 employees.
• Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) by NITI Aayog: The platform offers mentorship, networking, funding, and skill development opportunities for women in business.
• Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM): The NRLM, through its SHG component, encourages women in rural areas to form collectives that can access credit, entrepreneurship training, and marketing opportunities.
• National Creche Scheme: This scheme supports working mothers, especially those in the unorganized sector, by setting up daycares in nearby locations where they can leave their children while they work.
  • Mission Shakti is a women empowerment programme launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) for the period 2021-2025.
  • It aims to strengthen interventions for women’s welfare, safety, and empowerment, making women equal partners in nation-building.
  • The Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE KIRAN) program has supported nearly 1,962 women scientists from 2018 to 2023.

Way Ahead

• The marginal increase in urban unemployment, coupled with reduced labour force engagement, reflects ongoing structural challenges in generating quality jobs, especially in the non-agricultural and urban sectors.
• Moreover, the influence of climatic factors such as extreme heat on labour participation highlights the growing relevance of environmental factors in shaping employment trends.
• Continued monthly tracking of labour data will be essential to monitor emerging patterns and to ensure timely, targeted interventions that can address deficiencies in India’s labour market.