Ranchi: Jharkhand’s three major industrial districts — Dhanbad, Bokaro and East Singhbhum — are facing a jobs paradox. Despite their strong links with mining, coal, steel and other industries, all three have labour force participation rates and worker population ratios below the state average, according to the latest National Statistics Office (NSO) district-level labour market snapshot.Dhanbad recorded the lowest labour force participation rate (LFPR) among the 10 districts covered in the report at 50.8%. It was followed by East Singhbhum at 51.2% and Bokaro at 54.3%, against the state average of 59.8%.A similar trend is seen in the worker population ratio (WPR), which indicates the share of the population that is employed. Dhanbad’s WPR was 46.7%, compared with 49% in East Singhbhum and 49.6% in Bokaro. The state’s overall WPR was 58.2%.Bokaro reported the highest unemployment rate among the 10 districts at 8.6%, followed by Dhanbad at 8%. East Singhbhum’s unemployment rate was lower at 4.3%, but remained above the state average of 2.7%.The gap was also reflected in the share of people aged 15-29 who were not in employment, education or training (NEET). The rate was 32% in Dhanbad, 30% in Bokaro and 28.3% in East Singhbhum, against the state figure of 21%.The picture is markedly different in other parts of the state. West Singhbhum, a tribal heartland, recorded an LFPR of 68.3% and a WPR of 67.1%, while its NEET rate was just 10.4%. Palamu and Hazaribag, too, reported considerably higher participation and employment ratios than the three industrial districts.The data do not explain why the industrial districts show this pattern. They, however, raise questions about the nature of jobs available, skill mismatches, youth participation, migration and whether locals are able to access industrial employment. LFPR, WPR and unemployment figures alone also do not indicate the quality or security of jobs, the report stated.
