Lok Sabha Question No. 1249 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-19
Subject: Participation of Women in Workforce
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Keshari Devi Patel

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

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1249 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN WORKFORCE

## 1249. SHRIMATI KESHARI DEVI PATEL:

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

- (a) the disappointing aspects which are being faced regarding participation of women in working population;
- (b) the details of steps being taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether  the  participation  of  women  in  working  sections  is  merely  one third despite their number being half in the population;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to emphasize promotional programmes for  creation  of  employment  to  change  this  situation  or  increase  the deteriorating number of women in working population;
- (e) the steps being taken by the Government to provide favourable atmosphere to working women; and
- (f) the steps being taken by the Government to change the attitude of society about working women?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)  to  (f):    As  per  the  results  of  Periodic  Labour  Force  Survey  (PLFS) conducted during 2017-18 and 2018-19 by National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the estimated Female Women Worker Population Ratio (WPR) on usual status (ps+ss) for 15 years and above in the country is 22.0% and 23.3% respectively.

Government has taken several initiatives to improve women's  participation in the labour force. In order to encourage employment of women, a number of protective  provisions  have  been  incorporated  in  various  labour  laws  for creating  congenial  work  environment  for  women  workers.  These  includes child care centers, enhancement in paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks, provisions for mandatory crèche facility in the establishments having 50  or  more  employees,  permitting  women  workers  in  the  night  shifts  with adequate  safety  measures,  etc.  Government  has  taken  a  decision  to  allow the  employment  of  women  in  the  aboveground  mines  including  opencast workings between 7 PM and 6 AM to all categories of employees and in below ground  working  between  6  AM  and  7  PM  in  technical,  supervisory  and managerial work where continuous presence may not be required.

The Code on Wages, 2019 provides that there shall be no discrimination in an establishment or any unit thereof among employees on the ground of gender in matters relating to wages by the same employer, in respect of the same work or work of similar nature done by any employee. Further, no employer shall  make  any  discrimination  on  the  ground  of  sex  while  recruiting  any employee for the same work or work of similar nature in the conditions of employment,  except  where  the  employment  of  women  in  such  work  is prohibited or restricted by or under any law for the time being in force.

Further,  in  order  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 Institutes.

Government  is  implementing  National  Career  Service  (NCS)  Projects  as  a Mission Mode Project for transformation of the National Employment Service where a variety of employment related services like job search, job matching, career  counselling,  vocational  guidance,  information  on  skill  development courses etc. are being provided under the NCS Project on a common platform with efficient use of information technology. Jobs for women are specifically highlighted in the women specific window on the NCS portal.

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