The Government of Goa has formally protested the unemployment rate of 8.7% attributed to the state in the recently released Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for 2023-24. The PLFS, covering the period from July 2023 to June 2024 and published by the Union Ministry of Planning and Statistics, reported Goa’s unemployment rate for all age groups as 8.7%, significantly higher than the national average of 4.1%.

The Goa government contends that this figure is inflated and does not align with the data it submitted to the central government.

The PLFS data also highlights a youth unemployment rate of 19.1% for those aged 15-29 in Goa. The report, covering the period from June 2023 to June 2024, indicates that the unemployment issue is more pronounced among Goan women than men.

Female labour force participation stands at only 21.2%, compared to 56% for men, underscoring a significant gender gap in employment opportunities within the State.

The Government of Goa’s opposition stems from its belief that the unemployment rate reported by the PLFS does not align with the State’s figures. There is also an implicit assumption that unemployment in Goa cannot be as high as indicated. This reflects a pattern of denial, as the state previously contested a Niti Aayog report that showed Goa's unemployment rate at 10.5% in 2020-21.

The government’s repeated challenges to such data suggest a reluctance to acknowledge the depth of the unemployment issue in the state.

The Government of Goa's questioning of the accuracy of PLFS data lacks credibility. PLFS data is not derived from state government reports but is collected using an independent, uniform methodology applied consistently across the country. This scientific, statistically sound approach ensures the data's reliability for all states, not just Goa. By suggesting that the data is inaccurate for Goa, the government implies that the entire PLFS system would be flawed, which is implausible. Any perceived inaccuracy is unrelated to the state's reports and is more likely a reflection of deeper structural issues.

PLFS data is currently the primary source for labour market statistics in India, having begun in 2016-17. Prior to PLFS, from 2011-15, the Labour Bureau conducted the Employment-Unemployment Survey, and before that, the NSSO data was the only source for such information.

PLFS uses a nationwide, uniform methodology for data collection, with scientifically drawn samples, making it a consistent and reliable tool across states. It is not a State-specific exercise, and until now, no State government has questioned the credibility of PLFS data.

Notably, the CMIE, a private database with a parallel methodology, reported an even higher unemployment rate for Goa at 11.6% in January 2023.

Goa's labour market presents a paradox: despite a high open unemployment rate, the state continues to see a large influx of migrant workers from other states. In August 2016, with a working-age population of 12.24 lakh, over half (6 lakh) had employment.

By December 2021, while the working-age population had grown to 13.1 lakh, the number of employed individuals dropped significantly to just 32% (4.2 lakh). This decline in local employment alongside the reliance on migrant labour highlights deep structural issues in Goa's labour market.

Goa's unemployment rate, according to the CMIE, was 11.6% in January 2023, peaked at 15.5% in April 2023, and stood at 13.7% in August 2023. This figure is notably more than three times the national average of 3.17%, underscoring the state's significant unemployment challenge compared to the rest of the country.

According to the PLFS data by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), between July 2022 and June 2023, Goa's unemployment rate stood at 9.7%, the second highest in the country after Lakshadweep (11.1%), and significantly higher than the national average of 3.2%. Unemployment in Goa was particularly severe in rural areas (11.3%) and among women (14.7%), compared to urban areas (8.7%) and males (7.7%).

A total of 1, 38, 409 unemployed candidates were registered on the Live Register of the Department of Labour and Employment between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. Among these, the highest number, 46,302, had completed Class XII, followed by 33,486 graduates and 11,575 post-graduates.

This implies very high educated unemployment in Goa and is corroborated by official figures furnished by the State. Despite Goa's high unemployment rate, the state has experienced a significant influx of migrant workers over the last two decades, particularly in the informal sector, where they form a substantial portion of the workforce.

However, the State government appears to be indifferent to their presence. This is evident from the relatively low number of registrations on the e-Shram portal, a national platform for unorganized workers, including migrant labourers.

As of now, the total registrations on the portal stand at over 30.16 crore, with Goa contributing only 73,722. This places Goa among the bottom five states in terms of registration volume.

Most of the labour engaged in the informal sector in Goa are migrant workers. The state labour department has made efforts to reach out to the migrant workers in the past but it seems that it is a bit clueless about how to include migrant workers within the existing social security framework.

However, the Government of Goa is still in denial of two important labour market realities that is high open unemployment and the presence of a large number of migrant workers in the informal sector. Last year, around the same time, the Chief Minister of Goa claimed that there is no unemployment in Goa and that there is work for those who want to work in the state. Now, claiming that PLFS data is inaccurate lacks substance and logic.

The need of the hour is to recognise the fact that the unemployment rate is relatively high in Goa and the government should initiate steps towards the generation of meaningful livelihood opportunities. Questioning PLFS data without legitimate logic reflects a state of denial and lack of intent in tackling the unemployment issue. The elephant is seen in the room, but the government pretends that it does not exist.

(Dr Kingshuk Sarkar works as a faculty with the

Goa Institute of Management and is a former labour

administrator)

20-09-2024