Manpower and its salient features

Meaning of manpower

        Manpower means the labour force. As we know the whole of the population of a country cannot represent its labour force. Therefore, labour force is only that portion of a population which participates in some economic activity. Based on this definition, the employed labour force in Pakistan estimated at 53.84 million persons in 2010-11. Of this, 37.85 million is in rural areas and 15.99 million in the urban areas. In rural areas the labour force participation rate is higher due to the live pattern and the nature of agricultural activity in which family members participate along with hired labour force. Unfavorable socio economic conditions for female labour force and non availability of suitable job opportunities.

Employed labour force by sectors

       The workers participate in various occupations. These occupations are classified into three categories.

(1).Primaryoccupations. The primary sectors comprises of all such occupations in which the role of nature 45% of the entire labour force.
is primary i.e., agriculture, animal husbandry, fishery, forestry and mining. In Pakistan agriculture sector continues to be the major employment generating sector. It absorbs

(2).Secondary occupations. The secondary sector includes occupations which seek to transform raw material into semi and finished products such as mining, quarrying, manufacturing industry construction etc, This sector generates above 18% employment opportunities for labour force.

(3).Tertiary sector.It includes all occupations which are concerned with a production of services such as transport, banking, trade, insures, administration and professions. This sector absorb about 37% of labour force.

Characteristics ofmanpower

(1).The employment of labour force by sector reveals that agriculture sector still continues to be the major employment generating sector. Whereas in advanced countries of the world, a large proportions of working populations is found engaged in manufacturing, trade of commerce.

(2). The ratio of working populations to total population 10 years above is about 45.7% which means that about 54%  are depending for their livelihood on the working people. The dependency ratio is very high.

(3). The women’s participation in labour force 21.7% which is also very low.

(4). The large percentage of labour (45%) is dependent in agriculture which indicates the large scale disguised unemployment in this sector.

(5). With the rapid rise in population, the job opportunities are not increasing at the same rate. This has led to low per capital income and prevalence of wide spread poverty.