Chandigarh: Chandigarh continues to stand out as one of the India’s most service-oriented economies, with nearly 77.9% of its workforce engaged in the services sector as of 2023-24, according to recent data from NITI Aayog.This figure marks an increase from 76.6% in 2011-12, far surpassing the national average of 29.7% for services sector employment.Women in Chandigarh’s workforce show particularly strong alignment with services. Nearly 92% of the city’s female workers are employed in the sector, compared to the national urban average of around 60%.For men, the share stands at over 73% in Chandigarh, higher than the national urban figure of 61%.
Industry leaders attribute this trend to the limited presence of manufacturing jobs for women and the abundance of opportunities in services.Naveen Manglani, vice-president and spokesman of the Chamber of Chandigarh Industries, noted, “For women in the city, most of the job opportunities are in the service sector, as the workforce in the manufacturing sector is still dominated by men.”Sanjeev Chadha, president of Chandigarh Beopar Mandal, echoed this view: “The service sector dominates the city’s economy. The number of jobs available in the city is more in the service sector. Some sub-sectors, like education, retail, and financial services, predominantly employ women.”Within the services sector in Chandigarh, wholesale and retail trade accounts for nearly 22% of the workforce. Public administration and defence make up 14%, while information and communication contribute about 12%. Other notable sub-sectors include financial and insurance activities (8.2%), education (6.3%), human health and social work (5.7%), transportation and storage (6.8%), accommodation and food services (6%), professional, scientific and technical activities (4.8%), other service activities (3.6%), activities of households (8%), real estate activities (1.2%), administrative and support services (1%), and arts, entertainment and recreation (0.7%).The city’s economic structure is further bolstered by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which span both manufacturing and services.Data from the Ministry of MSME highlights a steady rise in women-led units. In 2020-21, there were 833 such units, increasing to 1,529 in 2021-22, 1,923 in 2022-23, and surging to 5,836 in 2023-24.Experts point to Chandigarh’s urban character, planned infrastructure, and focus on sectors like retail, education, finance, and administration as key drivers of this service-led growth.A UT official said, “For increasing employment opportunities in the service sector, the NITI Aayog recommended a focus on strengthening innovation in professional and technology-driven services by fostering incubation and academic partnerships, aligning university courses with emerging sectors, and establishing a dedicated medtech innovation hub.”Box 1: City of Jobs, City of ServicesYear | Service sector2011-12 | 76.6%2017-18 | 76.3%2018-19 | 83%2019-20 | 79%2020-21 | 83.4%2021-22 | 73.7%2022-23 | 83.8%2023-24 | 77.9%Box 2: Women-led MSMEsYear | Women-led MSMEs | %age of total MSMEs2020-21 | 833 | 14% 2021-22 | 1,529 | 16% 2022-23 | 1,923 | 19% 2023-24 | 5,836 | 26%Naveen Manglani, vice-president and spokesman of the Chamber of Chandigarh Industries, noted, “For women in the city, most of the job opportunities are in the service sector, as the workforce in the manufacturing sector is still dominated by men.”
