Lok Sabha Question No. 2520 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-04
Subject: Pattern of Rural Employment
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri K Gopinath

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2520 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04 TH  AUGUST, 2025

## PATTERN OF RURAL EMPLOYMENT

2520.   SHRI K GOPINATH:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:

the details of the pattern of rural employment in the country in terms of primary,  secondary  and  tertiary  sectors  of  employment,  gender  and  Statewise particularly in Tamil Nadu?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

The  official  data  on  Employment  and  Unemployment  is  collected through  Periodic  Labour  Force  Survey  (PLFS)  which  is  conducted  by  the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) since 2017-18.

As per the latest available Annual PLFS reports, the estimated Worker Population Ratio (WPR), indicating employment, on usual status for persons of  age  15  years  &  above  in  rural  areas  in  the  country  and  in  Tamil  Nadu during 2019-20 to 2023-24 are as follow:

| Years   | Worker Population Ratio (in %)   | Worker Population Ratio (in %)   |
|---------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|         | All India                        | Tamil Nadu                       |
| 2019-20 | 53.3                             | 59.8                             |
| 2020-21 | 55.5                             | 62.1                             |
| 2021-22 | 55.6                             | 60.8                             |
| 2022-23 | 59.4                             | 59.6                             |
| 2023-24 | 62.1                             | 63.1                             |

Source: PLFS, MoSPI

The data indicates that the employment in rural areas has increasing trend  over  the  years.  The  estimated  WPR,  indicating  employment,  in  rural areas  has  increased  from  53.3%  in  2019-20  to  62.1%  in  2023-24.  Also,  in Tamil Nadu, WPR has increased from 59.8% to 63.1% during the same period.

As per the latest available Annual PLFS report 2023-24, the percentage distribution of rural workers by broad industry division are as follows:

(in %)

| S. No.   | Broad Industry Division as per NIC- 2008   |   Al India |   Tamil Nadu |
|----------|--------------------------------------------|------------|--------------|
| 1        | Agriculture                                |       59.8 |         41.2 |
| 2        | Mining & quarrying                         |        0.2 |          0.2 |
| 3        | Manufacturing                              |        8.3 |         12.2 |
| 4        | Electricity, water, etc.                   |        0.4 |          0.6 |
| 5        | Construction                               |       12.5 |         21.5 |
| 6        | Trade, hotel & restaurant                  |        8.3 |         10   |
| 7        | Transport, storage & communications        |        3.7 |          6.4 |
| 8        | Other services                             |        6.9 |          8   |
|          | All                                        |      100   |        100   |

Source: PLFS, MoSPI

The  State-wise  and  gender-wise  information  are  available  in the Periodic  Labour  Force  Survey  (PLFS)  reports,  which  may  be  seen  at https://www.mospi.gov.in/downloadreports?main\_cat=ODU5&cat=All&sub\_cat egory=All