RBI data shows rural women lead employment in Karnataka

The latest RBI statistics highlight stronger employment among rural women in Karnataka, while urban unemployment, especially among women, remains a concern despite the State’s strong economic growth.

Rural women in Karnataka are better employed than their urban counterparts and men across both rural and urban areas, according to the Reserve Bank of India’s Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024–25, released on Friday.
The report shows that the unemployment rate among rural women in Karnataka stood at nine per 1,000 in 2023-24, an improvement from 13 per 1,000 in 2022-23. In comparison, rural male unemployment was significantly higher at 25 per 1,000 in 2023-24 and 17 per 1,000 in 2022-23.

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Overall rural unemployment in Karnataka was recorded at 19 per 1,000 in 2023-24 and 15 per 1,000 in 2022-23, both figures being lower than the national rural average of 25 and 24, respectively. Despite this relatively positive trend, some states such as Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand reported even lower rural unemployment levels.

The picture is less encouraging in urban Karnataka. The unemployment rate among urban women stood at 44 per 1,000 in 2023-24, though it declined from 51 per 1,000 in 2022-23. Urban male unemployment was recorded at 41 per 1,000 in 2023-24 and 38 per 1,000 in 2022-23. The overall urban unemployment rate in Karnataka was 42 per 1,000 in both years.

At the national level, urban unemployment remained higher, with the all-India unemployment rate at 51 per 1,000 in 2023-24 and 54 per 1,000 in 2022-23. While Karnataka performs better than the national average, the urban employment figures, particularly for women, point to structural challenges that need attention. The decline in male employment in rural areas also indicates the need for closer analysis.

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On the economic front, Karnataka continues to maintain a strong position. The State ranked fourth in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) size, with its GSDP at ₹28,83,903.23 crore in 2024-25, up from ₹25,57,241.35 crore in 2023-24. Karnataka also ranked second in GSDP growth at 12.8% in 2024-25, trailing only Tamil Nadu at 16%. Uttar Pradesh followed closely at 12.7%, while Maharashtra recorded 11.7% and Gujarat 10.2%.

While Karnataka’s overall economic growth remains robust, the RBI data underline a contrasting employment scenario, where rural women show encouraging participation, but urban employment trends continue to raise concerns.