New Delhi, Aug. 17 -- India's unemployment rate for those aged 15 years and above declined to 5.1% in July compared to 5.5% June as a marginal rise in joblessness in urban areas was compensated by sharp easing of rural unemployment rate.

The unemployment rate in urban areas rose to 6.7% in July from 6.6% in the previous month, driven primarily by an increase in the unemployment rate among females, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey Monthly Bulletin (PLFS-M) released by the ministry of statistics and programme implementation on Monday.

The unemployment rate in rural areas witnessed sharper easing to 4.5% in July from a high of 5% in June, with the male unemployment rate falling from 4.9% in June to 4.6% in July, while female u...