Lok Sabha Question No. 3415 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-17
Subject: Gender Parity in Household Work
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Ajay Kumar Mandal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3415 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2021

## GENDER PARITY IN HOUSEHOLD WORK

## 3415.  SHRI AJAY KUMAR MANDAL:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is planning to take any steps aimed at creating gender parity  in  household  work  which  falls  disproportionately  on  women  in  both  rural and urban households;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the Government is aware that the pandemic has led to a disproportionate number of job losses for women in the country particularly Bihar with special reference to Bhagalpur district;
- (e) if  so, whether the Government has taken or proposes to take any steps to help women get back to work; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) to (c) As per the Time Use Survey (January - December 2019) conducted by the Ministry  of  Statistics  and  Programme  Implementation,  in  both  rural  and  urban  India, about 80% females are involved in unpaid domestic services for household members devoting about 5 hours per day compared to about 20% males with about 1 hour and 30 minutes per day.

The  National  Policy  for  the  Empowerment  of  Women  of  the  Ministry  of  Women  and Child  Development  has  inter-alia  the  objective  of  changing  societal  attitudes  and community practices by active participation and involvement of both men and women. It provides  policy  directions  to  ensure  women's  perspectives  which  are  included  in designing  and  implementing  macro-economic  and  social  policies  by  institutionalizing their participation in such processes. The policy aims to recognise women as producers and  workers  in  the  formal  and  informal  sectors  (including  home  based  workers)  and appropriate policies relating to employment and her working conditions are accordingly drawn up.

(d) to (f) No, Sir. As per the Quarterly Bulleting of the Periodic Labour Force Survey for the period January - March 2021 released on 30 th November 2021 by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) on the Current Weekly Status (CWS) for females of age 15 years and above in urabn areas was 21.9% in the Quarter January - March 2020, which owing to the Covid-19 pandemic induced lockdown in the country,  dropped to  19.6%  in  the  Quarter  April  June  2020.  However,  thereafter,  it  has  continuously  increased,  being  20.3%  in  the Quarter July - September 2020, 20.6% in the Quarter October - December 2020 and 21.2%  in  the  Quarter  January  -  March  2021.  For  Bihar,  the  the  Labour  Force Participation Rate (LFPR) on the Current Weekly Status (CWS) for females of age 15 years and above in urabn areas was 8.7% in the Quarter January - March 2020, which has  gradually  decreased  and  stands  at  6.5%  in  the  Quarter  January  -  March  2021. District level estimates are not available.

Government  has  taken  following  steps  to  mitigate  the  impact  of  Covid-19  pandemic induced job losses, including women:

-  To prevent disruption in the employment of the wage-earners below Rs 15,000/per  month  in  organized  sector  businesses  having  less  than  100  workers, government paid 24 percent of their monthly  wages into their PF accounts for three months, April to June 2020.
-  MNREGA wages  were  increased  by  Rs  20/-  with  effect  from  1  April  2020  to provide  an  additional Rs  2,000/-  benefit  annually to a worker  to benefit approximately 13.62 Crore families.
-  The first instalment of Rs 2,000/- due in 2020-21 was front-loaded and paid in April 2020 itself under the PM KISAN Yojana to benefit 8.7 Crore farmers.
-  A total  of  20.4  Crore  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Dhan  Yojna  women  account-holders were given ex-gratia of Rs. 500/- per month for three months, April to June 2020.
-  Limit  of  collateral  free  lending  was  increased  from  Rs  10  to  Rs  20  Lakhs  for women organised  through  63  Lakh  Self  Help  Groups  (SHGs)  supporting  6.85 Crore (68.5 million) households.
-  Government gave Rs 1,000/- per month from April to June 2020 to 3 Crore aged widows  and  people  in  Divyang  category  who  are  vulnerable  due  to  economic disruption caused by COVID-19 to tide over difficulties.

Government has launched the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) with effect from  1 st October  2020  as  part  of  Atmanirbhar  Bharat  package  3.0  to  incentivize employers  for  creation  of  new  employment  along  with  social  security  benefits  and restoration  of  loss  of  employment  during  Covid-19  pandemic.  This  scheme  is  being implemented through Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and seeks to reduce  the  financial  burden  of  the  employers  and  encourages  them  to  hire  more workers. The salient features of the scheme are summarized below:

·  An  employee  drawing  monthly  wage  of  less  than  Rs.  15000/-  who  was  not working  in  any  establishment  registered  with  the  Employees'  Provident  Fund Organization  (EPFO)  before  1 st October  2020  is  eligible  for  the  benefit.  The employees who lost their job during Covid-19 pandemic and did not join in any EPF covered establishment upto 30.09.2020 are also eligible for the benefit.

· Government of India is crediting for a period of two years, both the employee's share  (12%  of  wages)  and  employer's  share  (12%  of  wages)  of  contribution payable or only the employee's share, depending on employment strength of the EPFO registered establishments.

· The scheme has commenced from 1st October 2020 and shall remain open for registration  of  eligible  employers  and  new  employees  upto  31 st March  2022. Government is paying the subsidy for two years from the date of registration.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is implementing Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors' Atma Nirbhar Nidhi Scheme (PM SVANidhi) since June 01, 2020 with the objective to facilitate collateral free working capital loan up to ₹ 10,000 of 1 year tenure, to about 40 lakh street vendors across the country whose businesses had been adversely affected due  to  Covid  pandemic  and  subsequent  lock  downs.  Further,  on  timely  or  early repayment,  the  vendors  are  eligible  for  enhanced  working  capital  loan  to ₹ 20,000 and ₹ 50,000 in second and third tranches respectively.

As on 13.12.2021, out of total 27.06 lakh beneficiaries, 59% loans have been availed by male  while  41%  are  females  beneficiaries.  For  state  of  Bihar,  out  of  44,325  total beneficiaries, 33,091 are male and 11,234 are female beneficiaries.

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