(i) The total workforce in India in the year 1972-73 was 234 million that includes the 195 million workforce of rural and 39 million of the urban population. This indicates a greater involvement of rural workforce comprising 83 % of the total workforce as compared to 17% of the urban workforce. This is because a majority of the rural population was engaged in agricultural and allied sectors.
(ii) The rural workforce comprises 64% of the male workforce and 36% of the female workforce. On the contrary, the urban workforce comprises about 82% of male workforce and 18% of female workforce. The participation of males in both rural as well as in the urban areas is higher than the females because of the lack of opportunities available to women for acquiring education. Also, families often discouraged female members to take up jobs and, consequently, women were confined to household work only.
(iii) Comparing urban female work force with that of the rural female workforce, we can conclude that the females in the rural areas formed 36 % of the workforce, whereas, the females in the urban areas formed only 18% of the workforce. In the rural areas, despite a majority of the population being engaged in farming and allied activities, the agricultural sector had low productivity. Consequent to the low productivity, rural people had low earnings that further led to widespread poverty in the rural areas.
Thus, it can be concluded by analyzing the above data that Indian economy suffered from low productivity, acute unemployment and widespread poverty, disguised unemployment in agricultural sector and low female participation rate in the workforce 30 years ago