NEW DELHI, Aug 2 (TIWN) : Falling jobs in the formal sector and saturation in the farm sector drove up urban and rural unemployment respectively in August, leading to higher joblessness nationwide, at a time India has lifted most coronavirus-related restrictions imposed in March.

Urban unemployment crept up to 9.83% in August from 9.15% in July, according to monthly unemployment data released Tuesday by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). In other words, roughly one in every 10 persons in urban areas cannot find work.

Overall unemployment rate rose to 8.35% in August from 7.43% in July. The figure is slightly lower than 8.75% in March, when the covid-19 pandemic began its sweep across India, but is far higher than in pre-covid-19 months like February, January and December when the rate was between 7.22% and 7.76%.