GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF TEXTILES
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-3997
ANSWERED ON- 27/03/2026
INFORMAL TEXTILE AND GARMENT WORKERS
3997. DR. SYED NASEER HUSSAIN:
Will the Minister of TEXTILES be pleased to state:
(a) the estimated number of workers in the textile and apparel sector, disaggregated by formal/informal status,
gender and rural/urban location;
(b) the share of these workers...
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TEXTILES RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-3997 ANSWERED ON- 27/03/2026 INFORMAL TEXTILE AND GARMENT WORKERS
3997. DR. SYED NASEER HUSSAIN:
Will the Minister of TEXTILES be pleased to state:
(a) the estimated number of workers in the textile and apparel sector, disaggregated by formal/informal status, gender and rural/urban location;
(b) the share of these workers covered by any form of social security (Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), Employees' State Insurance (ESI), State welfare schemes), particularly in powerlooms, home-based work and subcontracted units;
(c) whether any time-bound plan exists to bring informal textile and garment workers, especially women, under social security and occupational safety norms; and
(d) in what manner the Ministry ensures that export-oriented competitiveness is not achieved through suppression of wages, unsafe working conditions and denial of labour rights? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF TEXTILES (SHRI GIRIRAJ SINGH)
(a): The textile industry is one of the largest sources of employment generation in the country, estimated to be employing more than 45 million people. As per Skill Gap Study 2024-25, 94% are in the unorganized sector and 6% in the organized sector. As per Periodic Labour Force Survey, MoSPI, there are more than 50% women workforce estimated to be in the textile and apparel sector.
(b): The Chapter IV of the Code of Social Security, 2020 (ESIC) apply on every establishment in which ten or more persons are employed other than a seasonal factory which provides coverage on ESI benefits.
(c) & (d): A formal framework to extend protections was initiated with the nationwide implementation of the Four Labour Codes. New Labour Codes aim to enhance welfare, maternity benefits, working hours, occupational safety and participation of women workers across sector including textile sector, where women form a substantial share of the workforce. Further, as per section 45 of the Code Social Security, 2020, the provision has also been made to extend benefits under the Chapter IV of the ESIC to unorganized workers, gig workers and platform workers.
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