Unemployment rate in Himachal Pradesh increases from 3.3% to 5.4% in 4 years

Kullu: The unemployment rate in Himachal Pradesh has been consistently rising for the last few years, a clear sign that the Congress govt has failed to create jobs in the state. According to the state govt's ‘Economic Survey' report for the year 2024-25, the unemployment rate reached 5.4% in 2023-24, the highest in the last four years.
The unemployment rate increased from 3.3% in 2020-21 to 4% in 2021-22. It jumped further to 4.4% in 2022-23 and 5.4% in 2023-24.
As per the survey report, the unemployment rate for females in the rural areas of the state has also gone up compared to 2022-23. The unemployment rate for females increased from 3.8% in 2022-23 to 7% in 2023-24. On the other hand, the unemployment rate for males decreased slightly from 3.3% to 3.2%.
In the urban areas, the unemployment rate for males and females dropped from 6.3% and 30.6% in 2022-23 to 4.8% and 18.2%, respectively. It may be mentioned that the Congress party came to power in Himachal in 2022, promising to create one lakh job opportunities in each year of its rule in the state.
Meanwhile, as per the survey report, a total of 94,212 job seekers registered their names with the employment exchanges spread across the state in the current financial year till Dec 2024. However, out of the total applicants, only 1,069 (1.13%) could get employment in the govt sector, while 4,370 (4.64%) were employed in the private sector.
The highest number of job seekers were from Kangra (20,825), followed by Mandi (18,128), Chamba (7,434), Sirmaur (7,145), Shimla (7,064), Kullu (6,675), Bilaspur (6,671), Hamirpur (6,498), Una (6,095), Solan (5,938), Kinnaur (551), and Lahaul Spiti (379).
In Sirmaur and Lahaul Spiti districts, out of over 7,300 job seekers, no applicant could find a job in the govt sector.
A total of 7,44,771 applicants in 2023 and around 1.41 lakh job seekers in 2022 registered themselves with the employment exchanges in the state. The total number of applicants till Dec 2024 stood at 6,75,671.
Increasing Joblessness (Assigned to design team)
Unemployment Rate
2020-21: 3.3%
2021-22: 4%
2022-23: 4.4%
2023-24: 5.4%
Rural Area
2022-23
Males: 3.3%
Females: 3.8%
2023-24
Males: 3.2%
Females: 7%
Urban Area
2022-23
Males: 6.3%
Females: 30.6%
2023-24
Males: 4.8%
Females: 18.2%