Why should we be worried about underemployment?
We should be worried about underemployment because it represents a waste of human potential. People are apparently working but are made to work less than what they are capable of doing. For instance, in agriculture, all family members work on a small plot throughout the year, but their labour effort gets divided and no one is fully employed.
Underemployment is concerning because it is hidden or disguised. Unlike visible unemployment, it is not easily identifiable. People appear to be working but in reality, they are not productively employed. This exists in both agriculture and service sectors where workers don't find work everyday or earn very little despite working all day.
People in underemployment lack better opportunities and are forced to take up odd jobs because they have nowhere else to go for work.
Explanation
The textbook explains underemployment as a situation where people are working less than their potential. The context provides the example of Laxmi's family where all five members work on a small plot but no one is fully employed - their labour gets divided. This is called disguised unemployment because it is hidden, unlike visible unemployment. The context also mentions underemployment in the service sector where casual workers don't find daily work or earn very little. The key concern is that people are forced into such work due to lack of better opportunities, leading to wastage of productive capacity.