Arup Mitra – författare

This book focuses on the gender-specific labour force participation rates across regions in India and identifies its most important determinants. Before concentrating on the Indian context, it examines the participation rates of various countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Not unexpectedly, the study shows that the rate is significantly lower for females than for males in this region. The rural–urban differentials are more pronounced and the inter-state variations are more sizable among females than males. Even in large cities, the female labour market participation is lower than that in the rural areas despite higher levels of education. However, in terms of inter-spatial (rural/urban/city) variations, the impact of infrastructure, education, health and urbanization on the labour force participation of both genders is quite distinct.

This book addresses labour market participation issues of youth in India, and follows an inter-disciplinary approach. It carries out both quantitative and qualitative assessments for an in-depth understanding of these issues. It collates a wide range of concerns both from supply and demand side, and instead of reflecting on the empirical questions only, the book reflects on various analytical questions as well. Some other challenges being discussed here are inadequacy of skill and compulsion to participate in the labour market, concentration in activities with excess supplies of labour, unrecognised work experience, lack of upward mobility, and working with information asymmetry. Caste and gender disadvantages are an instrumental part of the book. Problems of educated and uneducated youth are quite different and the book analyses them separately. Besides, it refers to a wide range of issues relating to occupational flexibility. It also discusses skill imparting institutions and themajor lacuna associated with their functioning. Social unrest and threats to the prospects of future growth in the absence of adequate youth employment are some of the economic and political issues which the book covers. Unraveling the threads of the concerns mentioned above, the book finally comes up with policy suggestions. It is a great resource for researchers, industry watchers, and policy makers who are interested in inclusive and sustainable growth.

This book uses the state-level panel data to identify some of the important correlates of employment growth/elasticity and indicators of quality-employment. To do so, it considers a wide spectrum of variables including physical, financial and social infrastructure specific indicators and government spending in certain key areas. In addition to the aggregate employment, the book also comprises analysis of different sectors, regions and gender categories. Based on the results, it identifies crucial determinants which bear important policy implications.

The book presents evidence showcasing how the overall investment climate and an effective state, as envisaged in terms of increased social expenditure, are instrumental to improvements in employment elasticity. The findings also reinforce the role of industry-led growth and agglomeration economies in contributing to employment growth. Besides, based on the unit-level data from the periodic labour force surveys, the book tries to answer a wide range of questions such as, what restricts a person from getting absorbed in a high productivity activity; within a given sector why one is in a casual or self-employed job and not in regular wage job; are casual wage jobs in the informal sector different from those in the formal sector; and why the wage variations exist across sectors and activities. The three rounds of periodic labour force surveys reflect on certain individual and household characteristics; in particular, the role of education is seen to be crucial in determining the occupational choice and the wage rate. Finally, the book focuses on the enterprise-level data and identifies the types of units which are vulnerable within the unorganized sector. It assesses the links of the unorganized sector units with their organised sector counterpart and identifies the factors which reduce the economic viability of the units.