New Delhi, Apr 10 (PTI) The unemployment rate in Uttar Pradesh is higher than the national average and the Centre will soon join hands with the new state government to deal with the problem, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said today. Also Read - Uttar Pradesh Governor Approves Renaming of Manduadih Railway Station to Banaras

He said in Lok Sabha that the national average of unemployment stood at 5.8 per cent. While the unemployment rate in rural areas of the country was 3.4 per cent, in the urban areas it was 4.4 per cent. Also Read - 'Arrest, Search Without Warrant': UP Govt To Set Up New Special Security Force | All You Need to Know

In Uttar Pradesh, the rate of unemployment in rural areas was 5.8 per cent and in urban areas 6.5 per cent, which “is quite high”, he said. Also Read - UP BJP Launches 'Seva Saptah' to Mark PM Modi's Birthday

Dattatreya said he will soon coordinate with the new Uttar Pradesh government to resolve the problem.

He said as many as 470 ‘Job Melas’ were held across the country of which 21 were held in Uttar Pradesh.

This is published unedited from the PTI feed.