Significant Rise in Women's Workforce Participation in India: From 22% to 40.3% in Just Six Years
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New Delhi, Nov 28 (NationPress) The employment statistics compiled since 2017-18 indicate a substantial rise in women's involvement in India's labor market, according to the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, during her address in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Data from the latest Annual PLFS Reports reveal that the share of women in the estimated Worker Population Ratio (WPR), which signifies employment, surged from 22% in 2017-18 to an impressive 40.3% in 2023-24.
In addition, the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for women aged 15 years and above rose from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24. These statistics demonstrate a consistent upward trend in the percentage of women employed over the six-year span.
"The generation of employment, along with enhancing employability, is a key focus of the Government. Various initiatives have been launched to encourage and elevate women's participation in the workforce," the Minister stated in a written response in the Upper House.
The government has implemented several provisions in labor laws aimed at ensuring equal opportunities and a supportive work environment for women. This includes paid maternity leave, flexible working hours, and equal pay, as noted by the Minister.
Furthermore, she indicated that the government is executing various schemes to enhance the female LFPR as well as the overall LFPR, including the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Stand-UP India Scheme, Startup India, Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Women in Science and Engineering- KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN), SERB-POWER (Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), Rural Self Employment and Training Institutes (RSETIs), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), and Production Linked Incentive.
To further boost the employability of female workers, the government is also offering training through its network of Women Industrial Training institutes, National Vocational Training Institutes, and Regional Vocational Training Institutes.
Moreover, the government unveiled a package of five schemes in the Budget 2024-25, aimed at facilitating employment, skill development, and other opportunities for 4.1 crore youth over a five-year timeframe, with a central allocation of Rs 2 lakh crore.
The Budget also introduced plans for the establishment of working women hostels in partnership with the industry, along with the creation of creches to support women in the workforce, among other policy initiatives, the Minister added.
