SRINAGAR: In a shocking turn of events, Jammu and Kashmir has now secured the third spot on the list of highest unemployment rates in India, with an alarming 23.1 percent rate. This marks a significant jump of 6 percent from the previous month’s rate of 17.1, as per the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE).
The figures are a cause for concern, as they reveal a substantial increase in unemployment rates in the UT in the month of March alone. In January the unemployment rate in J&K was at 21.8
The state of Haryana tops the list with the highest rate of 26.8 percent, followed closely by Rajasthan with 26.4 percent, and Jammu and Kashmir at 23.1 percent. Sikkim, Bihar, and Jharkhand also feature in the list with high unemployment rates of 20.7 percent, 17.6 percent, and 17.5 percent, respectively. These statistics paint a bleak picture of the current state of employment in the region and call for urgent action to address this pressing issue.
The latest figures reveal that India’s unemployment rate is currently ranging between 7.5% to 8.5% in urban areas and 7.0% in rural areas. But the real shocker is Haryana, who’s taking the lead with a whopping 2.4% unemployment rate! Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand are with only 0.8% unemployment each.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha recently announced that over 30,000 government positions have been filled in the last three years in Jammu and Kashmir, with recruitment for an additional 20,000 positions in the administration to be advertised in the next 3-4 months. The Union Territory administration aims to increase self-employment opportunities in the region.
It is important to note that several recruitment exams conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) have been postponed following complaints of irregularities and illegalities. The government had to cancel the JKSSB recruitment exams for the posts of Junior Engineer and Sub Inspector after a court ruling.
Other states in alphabetical order have the following unemployment rates: Andhra Pradesh 7.5, Bihar 17.6, Chhattisgarh 0.8, Delhi 9.7, Goa 15.9, Gujarat 1.8, Haryana 26.8, Himachal Pradesh 11.7, Jharkhand 17.7, Karnataka 2.3, Kerala 6.7, Madhya Pradesh 3.7, Maharashtra 5.5, Meghalaya 2.6, Odisha 2.6, Puducherry 1.5, Punjab 6.9, Rajasthan 26.4, Sikkim 20.7, Tamil Nadu 3.4, Telangana 5.2, Uttar Pradesh 5.5, Uttarakhand 0.8, and West Bengal 4.8.
