Sri Lanka unemployed down to 4.2-pct: data

Apr 10, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s unemployment fell to 4.2 percent in 2011 from 4.9 percent a year earlier with more people being employed in agriculture and industry, official data showed.

The Central Bank quoting a survey by the statistics office said total unemployed fell to 342,000 from 401,000 a year earlier.

People working in industry rose to 1.

915 million from 1.867 million with its share going up to 24.

3 percent from 24.2 percent. Agriculture workers rose to 2,602 million from 2,502 million with the share growing to 32.

9 percent from 32.7 percent.

Workers in services rose to 3.380 million from 3.32 million but its share fell to 42.

8 percent from 43.1 percent.

State workers increased to 1.232 million from 1,219 million a year earlier. Sri Lanka has a bloated state sector.

State workers made up 14.3 percent of the employed.

Private sector workers fell from 41.

2 percent of the workforce to 40.

4 percent, while the category of unpaid family workers rose to 11.0 percent from 10.4 percent.