The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) is conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in India to provide current and reliable estimates of employment and unemployment indicators .
Key Aspects of the PLFS:
- Objective: To estimate key employment and unemployment indicators like the unemployment rate, labor force participation rate, and worker population ratio in both urban and rural areas .
- Frequency: The survey is conducted regularly, with quarterly bulletins and annual reports published .
- Coverage: The PLFS covers all states and union territories of India, providing both national and regional level data .
- Data Collection: The survey collects data on various aspects of employment, unemployment, and related socio-economic characteristics .
Recent Updates and Releases:
- Quarterly Bulletin (October-December 2024): MoSPI released the Quarterly Bulletin of the PLFS for October-December 2024 on February 18, 2025 .
- Annual Report (July 2023-June 2024): The Annual Report for the period July 2023-June 2024 is available for download .
- Advance Release Calendar: The advance release calendar for 2025-26 includes the monthly bulletin of PLFS for April 2025, expected in January 2025 .
Methodological Updates:
- The World Bank’s World Development Indicators (WDI) incorporate PLFS data. A recent update involved revisions to the treatment of PLFS data, incorporating both National Sample Survey (NSS) and PLFS data points, excluding data from 2018 and 2019, and applying a smoothing function to enhance international comparability .
Accessing Data:
- PLFS data and reports can be accessed through the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation website .
- Microdata is available through the National Statistics Office of India .
In summary, the PLFS is a key survey for understanding employment and unemployment trends in India. The data is regularly updated and released by MoSPI through quarterly bulletins and annual reports .
