Nearly 55% of educated youth have left Haryana for jobs in other states

Tribune News Service

Neeraj Mohan

New Delhi, March 28

Known as the leading agrarian states with the maximum share in foodgrain production in the country, the states of Punjab and Haryana are reeling under the migration crisis due to declining employment conditions, revealed the latest report from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) — Institute for Human Development (IHD).

Distressing trend

• As per the International Labour Organisation report, over 54.7 per cent educated youths from Haryana left the home state for employment opportunities in other states and UTs
• The overall migration rate in Haryana and Punjab stands at 29% and 29.3%, respectively, against the all-India average of 28.9%
• Additionally, the hill state of Himachal Pradesh records a migration rate of 49.3%, further emphasising the severity of the issue

The data reflects a distressing trend underscoring the gravity of the situation, with over 54.7 per cent of total immigrants from Haryana and 44 per cent from Punjab, leaving the home state for employment opportunities in other states and Union Territories.

According to the ILO report, the overall migration rate in Haryana and Punjab stands at 29 per cent and 29.3 per cent, respectively, against the all-India average of 28.9 per cent. Himachal Pradesh records a migration rate of 49.3 per cent.

Moreover, the employment condition index in both Punjab and Haryana has witnessed a significant decline over the years revealing the root cause behind increase in immigration. As per the report, Haryana’s ranking plummeted from the 6th position in 2005 to the 12th position in 2022, while Punjab’s ranking dropped from 11th to 16th during the same period. The female employment condition index has also seen a sharp decline, with Haryana slipping from the 5th spot to the 19th and Punjab moving from the 10th to the 12th position.

The unemployment rate among educated youths of 29.74 per cent in Himachal Pradesh is higher than 26.33 per cent of Punjab and 26.26 per cent of Haryana in 2022. Even the unemployment rate of Haryana has increased from 24.85 per cent in 2019 against the national average of 21.84 per cent while it has registered an improvement in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, where the unemployment rate was 27.78 and 30.66 per cent in 2019, respectively.

On the wage front, Himachal Pradesh emerges as a frontrunner, with an average monthly wage among casual workers at Rs 11,267, surpassing Haryana’s Rs 9,651 and Punjab’s Rs 9,447. However, all three states have reported an increase in monthly wages since 2019, albeit with varying degrees.

Furthermore, Himachal Pradesh leads in female employment conditions since 2005, maintaining its position as a beacon of progress in this aspect. However, the alarming figure of 20.85 per cent of youths aged between 15 and 29 not in employment, education, or training in Himachal Pradesh underscores the need for comprehensive interventions to harness their potential.

The report also shows the plight of self-employed workers living below the poverty line, with Punjab recording 9.26 per cent, ahead of Haryana’s 16.67 per cent and Himachal Pradesh’s 11.83 per cent in 2022. The data also reveals a decline in the percentage of regular formal workers, with Punjab and Haryana experiencing significant drop. Punjab, in particular, has seen a decrease from 10.04 per cent in 2019 to 7.83 per cent in 2022, further exacerbating its employment woes.

Meanwhile, AAP’s Rajya Sabha member Vikramjit Singh Sahney wrote in a post on his X account, “Alarming news on youth unemployment! It’s alarming to witness the surge in informal sector jobs, skilling has never been more critical for securing sustainable livelihoods. This is a call to all stakeholders to urgently prioritise free skill trainings for our youth.”

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