Over 1 crore Indians unemployed according to NSSO, no social security benefits to be extended towards them

The unemployment rate in rural India is at 1.7% and in urban areas at 3.4 %, according to the latest survey results of 2011-12 carried out by National Sample Survey Organisation.

Tabling the figure in Lok Sabha, Minister of States for Labour and Employment Vishnu Deo Sai said the total number of employed people in the county was at 47.4 crore while the number of unemployed stood at 1.06 crore.

About 33.7 crore and 13.7 crore people were working in rural and urban India respectively while the corresponding figure for the unemployed was 0.62 crore and 0.44 crore respectively, he said in reply to a question.

Sai added that there was no proposal to extend social security benefits under the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008, to unemployed people as they did not meet the eligibility criteria as defined in the Act.