Lok Sabha Question No. 3555 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-15
Subject: Female Labour Force Participation
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Manoj Rajoria, P.P. Chaudhary

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3555 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15 TH  JULY, 2019

## FEMALE LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION

3555.    SHRIMATI KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI:

DR. MANOJ RAJORIA:

SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware of steadily declining female labour force participation in the country from 37% in 2004-05 to 23% in 2017-18 as per World Bank report;
- (b) whether the Government is taking any steps to improve female participation in the labour force, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether female participation in industries has increased in the last two years, if so, the total Indian labour force in organised and unorganised sector, sector-wise;
- (d) whether  any  steps  have  been  taken  for  the  safety  of  women  at  workplaces,  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (e) whether  any  steps  have  been  taken  for  the  safety  of  women  at  workplaces,  if  so,  the details thereof and the number of women employed in the unorganised sector or in unpaid jobs;
- (f) whether any guidelines are issued for childcare at workplace, if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) whether the Ministry is working on a comprehensive policy to increase the participation of women in the workplace over the next five years, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)  to  (c):  The  estimated  female  Labour  force  participation  rate  on  usual  status  (Principal Status+Subsidiary Status) (ps+ss) basis for persons age 15 years & above in the country is as follows:

| Survey                                 |   NSSO 61 st Round (2004-05) |   NSSO 66 th Round (2009-10) |   NSSO 68 th Round (2009-10) |   PLFS (2017-18) |
|----------------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------|
| Labour Force Participation Rate (in %) |                         42.7 |                         32.6 |                         31.2 |             23.3 |

For comparability, the results of the PLFS need to be understood in the context with which the survey methodology and sample selection has been designed.

Source: Annual Report: PLFS, 2017-18

These results depict a declining female labour force participation rate over the years. This decline may be attributed to factors like higher level of participation of women in education, migration, etc.

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, time-off for feeding children, 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. The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 provides for payment of equal remuneration to men and women workers for same work or work of similar nature without  any discrimination. Further, under  the  provisions of the  Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the  wages  fixed  by  the  appropriate  Government  are  equally  applicable  to  both  male  and female workers without any gender discrimination.

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.

(d)  to  (g):  Safety  and  security  of  women  in  the  country  is  of  utmost  priority  for  the Government.  The  Sexual  Harassment  of  Women  at  Workplace  (Prevention,  Prohibition  and Redressal)  Act,  2013  came  into  force  on  9th  December  2013.  The  Act  covers  all  women, irrespective of their age or employment status and protects them against sexual harassment at  all  workplaces  both  in  public  and  private  sector,  whether  organized  or  unorganized.  The Act mandates all the workplace having more than 10 workers to constitute Internal Complaint Committee  (ICC)  for  receiving  complaints  of  sexual  harassment.  Similarly,  the  Appropriate Government  is  authorized  to  constitute  Local  Complaint  Committee  (LCC)  in  every  district which  will  receive  complaints  from  organizations  having  less  than  10  workers  or  if  the complaint is against the employer himself.

National Creche Scheme provides day care facilities to children of age group of 6 months to 6 years of working women. The facilities are provided for seven and half hours a day for 26 days in  a  month.  Children  are  provided  with  supplementary  nutrition,  early  childcare  education, health and sleeping facilities.

The Government of India has declared the National Policy on Safety, Health and Environment at Workplace (NPSHEW) which aims to establish a preventive safety and health culture in the country  through  elimination  of  the  incidence  of  work  related  injuries,  diseases,  fatalities, disasters and to enhance the well-being of employees in all the sectors of economic activity in the country. Several steps are taken for promoting and propagating the objective of safety and  health  by  holding  various  conferences,  awareness  camps,  safety  weeks,  campaigns, awards and conducting of surveys etc.

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