New Delhi, March 16 -- India's unemployment rate for people aged 15 years and above eased marginally to 4.9% in February from 5.0% in January, driven by a decline in joblessness in urban areas.

The unemployment rate in urban areas declined to 6.6% in February from 7.0% in the previous month, according to the latest periodic labour force survey monthly bulletin (PLFS-M) released by the statistics ministry on Monday. Urban female unemployment declined to 8.7% in February from 9.8% in January, helping ease pressure in city labour markets.

In contrast, the rural unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2%. A marginal increase in male unemployment, from 4.1% to 4.2%, was offset by a fall in rural female unemployment to 4.0% from 4.3% in Jan...