Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Labour and Employment addresses women's workforce participation in response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1380. The response highlights the increase in female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) and the government's initiatives to boost female participation in formal employment and entrepreneurship through various schemes, training programs, and legislative measures. The answer references data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) and Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Labour Force Participation:**
* The female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) has increased from 23.3 in 2019-20 to 41.7 in 2023-24 (age 15 years and above).
* 26.9 lakh net female subscribers were added to EPFO during 2024-25, indicating a shift towards formal employment.
* **Government Schemes and Programs:**
* The Government is implementing schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), 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), Mission Shakti, Namo Drone Didi, Lakhpati Didi, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY), Rural Self Employment and Training Institutes (RSETIs), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), PM Street Vendors AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi), etc. to boost the female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR).
* Details of these schemes are available at https:dge.gov.indgeschemesprogrammes.
* **National Career Service (NCS) Portal:**
* The Ministry of Labour and Employment operates the National Career Service (NCS) Portal (www.ncs.gov.in), a one-stop platform for career-related services, including job postings, job fairs, career counseling, and skill development information.
* **Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme:**
* The Union Cabinet has approved the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme to support employment generation, enhance employability, and social security.
* **Labour Law Provisions:**
* The Code on Social Security, 2020 includes provisions for enhancement in paid maternity leave (from 12 weeks to 26 weeks) and mandatory crèche facilities for establishments with 50 or more employees, and permitting women workers in night shifts with adequate safety measures.
* Under Section 46 of the Mines Act, 1952, the Central Government exempts women employed under certain conditions related to working hours.
* The Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH), 2020 allows women to be employed in all establishments for all types of work with their consent before 6 am and beyond 7 pm, subject to prescribed safety conditions.
* **Skill Development Initiatives:**
* The Government is implementing the Skill India Mission (SIM) to provide skill, reskill, and upskill training through various schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), and Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS).
* Training is provided through Women Industrial Training Institutes, National Vocational Training Institutes, and Regional Vocational Training Institutes to enhance the employability of female workers.
* **Childcare Support:**
* The Ministry of Women and Child Development implements the Palna component under Mission Shakti, focusing on providing day-care facilities and protection for children through Anganwadi cum Creches (AWCC).
* **Vocational Training for Adolescent Girls:**
* NAVYA (Nurturing Aspirations through Vocational Training for Young Adolescent Girls) aims to equip girls aged 16-18 with vocational training in non-traditional and emerging job roles.
* **Equal Remuneration:**
* The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 mandates equal pay for equal work for men and women.
* **Advisory for Employers:**
* In January 2024, the Ministry of Labour and Employment issued an advisory for employers to promote women's workforce participation, emphasizing work-life balance measures like paternity leave, parental leave, and flexible working arrangements.
* **Union Budget 2024-25:**
* The Union Budget 2024-25 announced the setup of working women hostels in collaboration with industry, and establishing crèches.
Impact Analysis:
* **Women:**
* Impact: Increased opportunities for formal employment, entrepreneurship, skill development, and access to childcare facilities.
* Action Required: Utilize available schemes, training programs, and childcare support to enhance skills and participation in the workforce.
* **Employers:**
* Impact: Need to provide equal opportunities, fair remuneration, safe working conditions, and family-friendly policies to attract and retain female employees.
* Action Required: Implement the provisions of the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH), 2020. Implement the guidelines in the Ministry of Labour and Employment's January 2024 advisory.
* **Government:**
* Impact: Responsible for implementing and monitoring various schemes and policies to promote female workforce participation.
* Action Required: Continue to refine and expand existing programs, enforce labour laws, and promote awareness of available resources for women and employers.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Labour and Employment: A ministry of the Government of India responsible for labour and employment policies.
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS): An official data source on employment and unemployment conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO): An organization that provides social security benefits to employees in the formal sector in India.
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY): A government scheme to provide loans to non-corporate, non-farm small/micro enterprises.
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): A skill development scheme by the Government of India aimed at providing vocational training to Indian youth.
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS): An Indian labour law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the 'right to work'.
Code on Social Security, 2020: A legislative act in India that consolidates and amends the laws relating to social security with the goal to extend social security to all employees and workers in the organized and unorganized sectors.
Equal Remuneration Act, 1976: An act of the Parliament of India to provide for the payment of equal remuneration to men and women workers and for the prevention of discrimination, on the ground of sex, against women in the matter of employment.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1380
TO BE ANSWERED ON 28th JULY, 2025
WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN THE WORKFORCE
1380. SHRI TANUJ PUNIA:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is true that women in the country are getting higher
education but their participation in the formal workforce is
relatively less;
(b) if so, the reasons therefor;
(c) the details of the female labour workforce participation rate in the
country and its position in the global average; and
(d) the details of the measures being taken by the Government to
increase the formal workforce, participation in formal employment
and entrepreneurship?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (d): The official data source on Employment and Unemployment is
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) which is conducted by the Ministry
of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) since 2017-18.
As per the latest available Annual PLFS reports, the estimated
Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) on usual status for female of age
15 years and above has increased from 23.3% in 2019-20 to 41.7% in
2023-24.
Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) Payroll Data
indicates the level of employment in the formal sector. During 2024–25
alone, 26.9 lakh net female subscribers were added to the Employees’
Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), underlining a shift towards formal
employment.
Employment generation coupled with improving employability is
the priority of the Government. Government is implementing various
schemes to boost the female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) like
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas
Yojana (PMKVY), Stand-UP India Scheme, Startup India, Prime Minister’sEmployment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Women in Science and
Engineering- KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN), SERB-POWER (Promoting
Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research), Mission Shakti, Namo
Drone Didi and Lakhpati Didi, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Deendayal Antyodaya
Yojana- National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Deen Dayal
Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), Rural Self
Employment and Training Institutes (RSETIs), Deen Deendayal
Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), PM
Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi), etc. The details of
various employment generation schemes/programmes being
implemented by the Government may be seen at
https://dge.gov.in/dge/schemes_programmes .
Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, is
running the National Career Service (NCS) Portal which is a one-stop
solution for providing career related services including jobs from private
and government sectors, information on online & offline job fairs, job
search & matching, career counselling, vocational guidance, information
on skill development courses, skill/training programmes etc. through a
digital platform [www.ncs.gov.in].
In addition, the Union Cabinet has approved the Employment
Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme to support employment generation,
enhance employability and social security across all sectors, with
special focus on the manufacturing sector.
A number of protective provisions have been incorporated in the
labour laws for equal opportunity and congenial work environment for
women workers. The Code on Social Security, 2020 has the provisions
for enhancement in paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks,
provision for mandatory crèche facility in the establishments having 50
or more employees, permitting women workers in the night shifts with
adequate safety measures, etc.
Under Section 46 of the Mines Act, 1952, the Central Government
exempts the women employed, subject to the following conditions,
namely:
(i) In case of women employed in any mine above ground, the
owner of a mine may deploy women between the hours of 7 pm and 6
am in the mine above ground including opencast working;
(ii) In case of women employed in any mine below ground, the
owner of a mine may deploy women between the hours of 6 am and 7
pm in technical, supervisory and managerial work where continuous
presence may not be required.Further, the Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working
Conditions (OSH), 2020 has the provisions that women shall be entitled
to be employed in all establishments for all types of work and they may
be employed, with their consent before 6 am and beyond 7 p.m. subject
to such conditions relating to safety, holidays and working hours or any
other conditions to be observed by the employer as may be prescribed
by the appropriate Government.
Government is implementing Skill India Mission (SIM) to deliver
skill, re-skill and up-skill training through an extensive network of skill
development centres/ schools/ colleges /institutes etc. under various
schemes, viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan
Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme
(NAPS) and Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training
Institutes (ITIs) in the country. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India
to get future ready, equipped with industry relevant skills.
To enhance the employability of female workers, the Government is
providing training to them through a network of Women Industrial
Training Institutes, National Vocational Training Institutes and Regional
Vocational Training Institute.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing
‘Palna’ component under Mission Shakti for all States/UTs, under which
providing day care facilities and protection of children is the main focus
area. Under Palna, Ministry has extended free services of childcare
through Anganwadi cum Creches (AWCC).
Government has also launched “NAVYA’ (Nurturing Aspirations
through Vocational Training for Young Adolescent Girls) with an aim to
equip adolescent girls aged 16 to 18 years with vocational training
mainly in non-traditional and emerging job roles.
The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 provides for payment of equal
remuneration to men and women workers for the same work or work of
similar nature without any discrimination.
In addition, Ministry of Labour and Employment in January, 2024
issued an “Advisory for Employers to Promote Women Workforce
Participation”. This advisory inter-alia mentions the need for balance
between employment and care responsibilities for both men and women
including family friendly measures such as paternity leave, parental
leave, family emergency leave and flexible working arrangements.
The Union Budget (2024-25) announced setting up of working
women hostels in collaboration with industry, and establishing crèches,
for increasing participation of women in the workforce.
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