Business establishments in rural Karnataka are more compared to urban Karnataka, though employment generation is taking place only in cities. And Dakshina Kannada district tops the State when it comes to percentage of women in the work force.

These facts and more have come to light in the provisional results of the sixth economic census which is in the public domain now. The census was part of the nationwide economic census (EC) conducted during November 2013 and February 2014. The directorate of economics and statistics is awaiting the Centre’s nod to release the final report, said K S Shankar, Joint Director, Economic Census.

The census was a complex and massive administrative exercise carried out in rural and urban areas across the State. The last census was conducted in 2005. The results of the sixth EC can be synchronised with those of the population census report of 2011 to get different perspectives for the data culled out for the report. The report has not offered any interpretation of the data compiled.

The EC covered about 29 lakh establishments. Establishments mean any business or proprietorship concern engaged in economic activities. The census included all types of business activities, including service and manufacturing sectors of the government. But crop production and plantations were not part of the census.

The data shows that the number of establishments have increased in the State, indicating a growth rate of 14.97 per cent compared to the 2005 census. This also means that the trend of entrepreneurship and self-employment is increasing. The total number of persons employed is about 69 lakh in the State, with the urban share being 52 per cent.

As in the past, Bengaluru urban district continues to be the top most district when it comes to growth in terms of business establishments and jobs. While the district’s share in the total establishment is 13.79 per cent, the people employed is as high as 23.29 per cent of the total number of persons employed in the State.

D-K’s progress

Next to Bengaluru, Dakshina Kannada district occupies the second slot in both the establishment and employment charts. Then follows Mandya which is witnessing an increase in the number of establishments.

But after Bengaluru, no district has crossed double digits in both the charts. Among the north Karnataka districts, only Belagavi figures in the top 10 districts which are witnessing economic growth - 4.71 per cent - and persons employed - 4.67 per cent.

Women power to the fore: Census

Women constitute 31.16 per cent of the work force in the State. The percentage of working women in Dakshina Kannada is more than the figure for the rest of the State. Female workers constitute 53.01 per cent of the work force in Dakshina Kannada. Socio-economic status and higher population of women compared to men could be the reasons.

Women of the neighbouring district of Udupi too are doing well as it occupies the second place in terms of the share of female workers. It is 43.20 pc in Udupi, followed by Chikkaballapur - 38.85 pc, Mandya - 36.9 pc, Kolar 36.63 pc and Ramanagar 35.58 pc. Interestingly, Bengaluru urban or rural district or as a matter of fact not even a single district of North Karnataka figure in the top ten districts in this regard.