The percentage of employed people registered a sharp rise of over 34 per cent in the last eight years with 12.77 crore people gaining employment during the period till 2013.

According to the Sixth Economic Census, released on Wednesday, employment in urban quarters of the country increased by 37.46 per cent to 6.14 crore in 2013, whereas in rural areas the growth was 31.59 per cent to 6.62 crore compared to 2005.

The survey also showed an increase in the proportion of women in the total workforce, as it went up to 25.56 per cent in 2013 from 20 per cent in 2005. In urban areas, the proportion of female workers was 19.8 per cent and 30.9 per cent in rural areas.

Maharashtra recorded the maximum number of employed people at 1.43 crore, followed by Uttar Pradesh at 1.37 crore, West Bengal at 1.15 crore, Tamil Nadu 1.08 crore and Gujarat at 90.63 lakh.

Among Union Territories, Delhi figured among the cities with maximum number of people employed at 29.84 lakh followed by Chandigarh at 2.38 lakh and Puducherry at 2.17 lakh in 2013.

The country’s population was over 121 crore in 2011, according to the 2011 Census. The Economic Census does not include employment in agriculture, public administration, Defence and compulsory social security services activities.

“The growth in employment at 34 per cent in eight years is a good rate. That means that it had grown at an annual rate of over 4 per cent when the population is growing at 2 per cent,” said Pronob Sen, Chairman, National Statistical Commission.