India’s unemployment rate touched a 19-week high of 8.67% in the week ended May 9, reflecting the economy’s increasing inability to generate jobs. The state of joblessness has been more acute in cities and towns – urban employment rose 164 basis points to a worrisome 11.72% in the latest week under review, compared with the previous week. There has in fact been a steady increase in unemployment in recent months – the relevant rate rising to a four-month high of 7.97% in April compared with 6.5% in March, 6.89% in February and 6.52% in January.