Delhi registers decline in poverty, unemployment rate in recent years: DSIF report

New Delhi, Jul 8 (PTI) The proportion of people living in poverty in Delhi decreased from 4.4 per cent to 3.21 per cent, while the unemployment rate dropped from 9.7 per cent to 2.1 per cent in recent years, according to a recent status report. The Delhi State Indicator Framework (SIF) 2025 report, released recently by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, tracks sustainable development goals (SDGs) progress at the state level. This report facilitates decision-making and supports the implementation of government schemes, covering Delhi's progress on 16 SDGs. It states that the proportion of people, including men, women, and children, living in poverty fell from 4.4 per cent in 2015-16 to 2.1 per cent in 2017-18. The "No Poverty" SDG aims to eliminate poverty in all its forms. The report also points out that the number of beneficiaries under the "Women in Distress" scheme in Delhi increased from 168,977 in 2015-16 to 197,863 in 2017-18, 238,706 in 2019-20, 312,272 in 2021-22, and 397,465 in 2024-25. The report, based on the United Nations (UN) "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development", highlights improvements in Delhi's sex ratio over the past decade. The sex ratio at birth (number of female live births per 1,000 male live births) increased from 898 in 2015 to 913 in 2017, 920 in 2019, 929 in 2022, and back to 920 in 2024. Additionally, the female labour force participation rate rose from 11.2 per cent in 2017-18 to 13.7 per cent in 2018-19, and further to 14.5 per cent in 2023-24. According to the report, Delhi's unemployment rate was 9.7 per cent in 2017-18, gradually decreasing to 8.7 per cent in 2019-20, 5.3 per cent in 2021-22, and finally to 2.1 per cent in 2023-24. The labour force participation rate for individuals aged 15 to 59 years was 49.9 per cent in 2017-18 and increased to 51.5 per cent in 2023-24, as noted in the report. PTI VIT MPL MPL