Ranks of jobless SCs, OBCs swell in villages

NEW DELHI: Unemployment increased, though marginally, in rural areas among males belonging to scheduled castes ( SC) and other backwards castes ( OBC) between 2009-10 and 2011-12, according to a NSSO survey.

During the period, the unemployment rate among males in rural areas increased from 1.7 per cent to 2 per cent for SCs and from 1.4 per cent to 1.7 per cent for OBCs while it decreased marginally from 1.7 per cent to nearly 1.3 per cent for STs and 2 per cent to 1.8 per cent for those in 'Others' category.

Among women living in rural areas, the unemployment rate for STs increased from 0.9 per cent in 2009-10 to 1.1 per cent in 2011-12 and for OBCs it increased from 1.4 per cent to 1.7 per cent during the same period. It remained almost at the same level for SCs (1.5 per cent in 2009-10 compared to 1.4 per cent in 2011-12) and 'Others' category (2.5 per cent in 2009-10 compared to 2.4 per cent in 2011-12).

In cities and towns, the unemployment rate among males decreased for STs (from 4.4 per cent in 2009-10 to 3.4 per cent in 2011-12 and OBC (from 2.8 per cent to 2.5 per cent during the period) while remaining at the same level for SCs (3.1 per cent to 3.2 per cent) and increased for Others (2.7 per cent to 3.4 per cent during the same period).

The unemployment among ST and SC women living in urban areas has increased. It went up from 4.3 per cent in 2009-10 to 4.8 per cent in 2011-12 for STs and from 4.2 per cent to 4.5 per cent for SCs during the same period. However, the unemployment decreased for among OBC women living in cities and towns (from 6.2 per cent to 4.7 per cent) and remained at the same level for Others (6.2 per cent in 2009-10 and 6.3 per cent in 2011-12).

In 2011-12, the unemployment rate was lowest among the SC women in cities at 4.5 per cent, while ST women were better placed in villages with unemployment rate at 1.1 per cent. As per the survey, among females in urban areas, unemployment rate was the highest among 'Others' category (6.3 per cent), it was 4.8 per cent among STs, 4.7 per cent among OBCs and 4.5 per cent among SCs.

Among females in rural areas, unemployment rate was 2.4 per cent among Others, 1.7 per cent among OBCs, 1.4 per cent among SCs and 1.1 per cent among STs. In rural areas, the unemployment rate for males was 2 per cent for SCs, 1.7 per cent for OBCs, 1.8 per cent for Others and 1.3 per cent among STs.

In urban areas, unemployment rate among males was the highest for ST and Others category (nearly 3.4 per cent each), 3.2 per cent among SC and 2.5 per cent among OBC category.