Coronavirus Lockdown: Unemployment rate in West Bengal lower than India, says CMIE data

The rate of unemployment in West Bengal is lower than that in the country, and it has spiked to a large extent during the lockdown, the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) has said.

According to the Mumbai-based think tank, the unemployment rate in West Bengal was 17.3 per cent in May while it was 23.5 per cent at the national level.

The figures were the same in April this year, the CMIE data said.

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In March, the unemployment rate in West Bengal was 6.9 per cent as against the all India figure of 8.8 per cent, it said.

The nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 25.

Asked why the unemployment rate in West Bengal is low as compared to India although the state lacks large industry, economist Abhirup Sarkar said small units dominate the production space in the state and they are not dependent on the global demand and supply.

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While the world, along with India, is going through a recession for the last one-and-half years, the hardest hit are those who depend on global markets.

West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra has also tweeted that despite the dual challenges of COVID-19 and cyclone Amphan, the unemployment rate in West Bengal is lower than that of the country.