Lok Sabha Question No. 382 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-18
Subject: Women Workforce Participation
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: SRINIVAS KESINENI, M. K. RAGHAVAN, FEROZE VARUN GANDHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 382

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH  DECEMBER, 2017

## WOMEN WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION

382.  SHRI KESINENI NANI: SHRI M.K. RAGHAVAN: SHRI FEROZE VARUN GANDHI:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of contribution of women in the workforce as a percentage of the  workforce  and  as  a  percentage  of  contribution  to  GDP  in  the  last three years;
- (b) whether there is any change in participation of women in the workforce during  the  said  period  in  the  formal  and  informal  sector  and  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (c) the major reasons for low participation of women in the workforce and the steps taken by the Government to boost the same?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

(a) & (b): As per the survey  of Labour Bureau, the estimated female Worker Population Ratio  aged 15 years and above on usual status basis was 25.0% during 2012-13, 29.6% during 2013-14 and 25.8% during 2015-16 and the GDP growth rate has been 5.5%, 6.4% and 8.0% for the years 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16.  Worker Population Ratio (WPR) for male and female both on usual status basis is given below:-

| Worker Population Ratio (WPR)- All India (in %)   | Worker Population Ratio (WPR)- All India (in %)   | Worker Population Ratio (WPR)- All India (in %)   | Worker Population Ratio (WPR)- All India (in %)   |
|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| Years                                             | Male                                              | Female                                            | Persons                                           |
| 2012-13                                           | 74.5                                              | 25.0                                              | 51.0                                              |
| 2013-14                                           | 73.5                                              | 29.6                                              | 53.7                                              |
| 2015-16                                           | 73.3                                              | 25.8                                              | 50.5                                              |

(c): The decline in female work force participation rate may be attributed to factors like increase in level of income in rural areas due to increase in real wages, increased educational attendance and higher level of participation in education and insufficient formal wage employment opportunities etc. The Government has taken several initiatives to improve the employability of youth including women. A new Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has been established to coordinate the skill development schemes across various sectors. Government is implementing the National Career  Service(NCS)  Project  with  a  portal  (www.ncs.gov.in)  for  online registration and posting of jobs for job-seekers and provide other employment related services. In order to encourage the employment for women, statutory provisions have been made in certain Labour laws for organizing child care centers for the benefit of women workers, Factories Act, 1948, the Beedi & Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966 and the Building and other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and conditions of Service)Act, 1996. The Mines Creche Rules, 1966 provide for establishment of  crèches  for  the  benefit  of  women  workers.  The  Plantation  Labour  Act, 1951  provides  that  the  women  workers  be  provided  time-off  for  feeding children  and  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Act, 2005 also provides for child care facilities at worksite.

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