scorecardresearch
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
TopicFormal and informal sector

Topic: Formal and informal sector

India’s informal sector continues to grow even as govt claims higher formalisation, new data shows

The latest govt survey of the non-agricultural informal sector shows it shrank between 2015-16 and 2021-22, following which it has been growing both in terms of establishments and workers.

Real wages grew just 0.01% over the last 5 years and contracted in Haryana & UP, Ind-Ra report finds

India Ratings & Research's report, based on govt data, also points to the deteriorating quality of jobs in the country, including more self-employed and informal workers.

54 lakh informal jobs lost, stagnant worker output — how DeMo, GST & COVID hit India’s manufacturing

The analysis of two official databases shows that the formal manufacturing sector barely added any jobs since 2015-16, while the informal portion saw job losses.

‘India can see China-like economic success without sacrificing democracy,’ says TeamLease vice-chairman

Manish Sabharwal blames regulatory hurdles, lack of human capital development, and failure to transition from farm to non-farm sectors for India’s slower economic growth compared to China.

What reports on Indian women’s falling participation in labour force don’t tell you

Critics analysing World Bank report to claim continuance of patriarchal oppression and structural barriers fail to acknowledge a critical aspect about women's economic participation in India.

How India’s informal economy is shrinking, and why that’s good news in the long term

Greater formalisation will see a shift from low-paying, labour-intensive jobs in informal sector to more productive, formal-sector jobs. This could lead to disruption in short term.

More young urban Indian men appear to be studying longer, not looking for jobs: New research

Researchers looked at 2004-05 NSS data and 2017-18 labour force survey to find men in 20-29 age group in states like Bihar and Jharkhand either take an informal job or remain unemployed.

Economists must stop looking at rural India as just labour supply tool post Covid: Yunus

Now is a good time to integrate the most crucial feature missing in the Indian micro-finance system — running it as a social business, writes Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus.

Don’t let your dislike of Yogi Adityanath get in the way. Labour reform is a good idea

A rational labour framework will lead to a larger number of Indian workers enjoying basic protections. Much depends on what the new labour landscape in UP and MP looks like.

To get more women in labour force, India must stop pushing industrial areas to city limits

It is essential for cities to recognise that urban neighbourhoods are not just residential areas, and develop amenities for both work and living.

On Camera

Bihar mimics 19th-century American South. Citizenship is now weaponised to exclude voters

Disenfranchisement by institutional fiat is profoundly undemocratic. The effect of the ECI's new documentary process in Bihar will tilt the scales in favour of the BJP.

India-US set to ink mini trade deal soon, reach understanding on agricultural & dairy products

Mini deal will likely see no cut in 10% baseline tariff on Indian exports announced by Trump on 2 April, it is learnt, but additional 26% tariffs are set to be reduced.

Not just AK-203, India & Russia to jointly manufacture AK-19 and PPK-20 for domestic use and export 

India-Russia JV is also racing to deliver 7,000 more AK-203 assault rifles by 15 Aug. These are currently being made with 50% indigenisation and this will surge to 100% by 31 December.

Strategic partner one day, tactical nightmare the next: India’s learning Trumplomacy the hard way

Public, loud, upfront, filled with impropriety and high praise sometimes laced with insults. This is what we call Trumplomacy. But the larger objective is the same: American supremacy.