BENGALURU: Karnataka’s rural women are better employed in comparison to those in urban areas and men in both areas proportionately, said a report from the Reserve Bank of India. The report, Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, released on Friday, said the unemployment rate of women in rural areas was nine per 1,000 in 2023–24 and 13 in 2022–23. The unemployment ratio of men in the same periods were 25 and 17, respectively.
The overall unemployment rate in Karnataka’s rural area was recorded as 19 during 2023–24, and 15 during 2022–23. This is lower than the national average of 25 and 24, respectively. In the case of urban areas, the unemployment rate of women during 2023–24 was 44 and during 2022–23, it was 51. The RBI report also noted that the urban male unemployment rate in 2023–24 fiscal was 41 and in 2022–23, it was 38. The overall unemployment rate in urban areas in 2023–24 and in 2022–23 it was 42. The all India unemployment rate in 2023–24 was 51 and in 2022–23, it was 54.
A finance expert in the state government said, “There is unemployment in Karnataka. But compared to other states and India, it is less. The rise in rural women’s employment rate is a positive indication, but worrisome when the urban statistics are noted. The overall rural unemployment rates in Goa, Madhya Pradesh and even Jharkhand are even lower.”
Karnataka also ranked fourth in the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) size. The report said Karnataka’s GSDP (at current prices) for the year 2024–25 was Rs 28,83,903.23 crore. In 2023–24, it was Rs 25,57,241.35 crore. The state ranks second in the overall GSDP growth with 12.8% for the fiscal 2024–25, after Tamil Nadu (16%).
Uttar Pradesh is slightly behind Karnataka with 12.7%, and Maharashtra trails with 11.7%. The GSDP growth rate of Gujarat is recorded as 10.2%. An official in the finance department, seeking anonymity, said, while other states fared better under the overall urban employment category, Karnataka’s population should also be accounted for.
The reason for the drop in male employment in rural areas also needs to be studied, the official said.
FKCCI chairperson Uma Reddy said women’s employment in rural areas increased because of the agricultural sector and self employment. The rural entrepreneurship training programmes also appear to be beneficial. In the case of urban areas, a larger push for the women workforce is needed to control the attrition rate.
Reddy said the overall unemployment rate of the state is worrying. “The report is only till 2023–24. But an analysis of 2024–25 and 2025–26 is needed for a clearer picture. The reasons cannot be fully ascertained yet, but some indicators include technological interventions, drop in investments and the tariff issue, she said.