Lok Sabha Question No. 3063 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-20
Subject: Labour Force Participation of Women
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Goddeti Madhavi, Dharmendra Kumar Kashyap

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3063

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 TH  MARCH, 2023

## LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN

## 3063.  SHRIMATI GODDETI MADHAVI: SHRI DHARMENDRA KASHYAP:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  the  labour  force  participation  of women  has  declined  even  further  during  the  pandemic,  if  so,  the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether the Government has taken any specific steps to encourage employment  amongst  unemployed  women,  if  so,  the  details  thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government is running any specific schemes or programmes aimed at improving the status of women workers in the country,  particularly  Uttar  Pradesh,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) the total funds allocated by Union Government and the funds spent by State  Governments,  especially  Uttar  Pradesh,  for  the  said  purpose during the last three years, scheme/programme-wise?

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## ANSWER (SHRI RAMESHWAR TELI)

(a) to (d) : The data on Employment and Unemployment is collected through Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) which is conducted by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) since 2017-18. The survey period is July to June of next year. As per the latest available Annual PLFS Reports,  the  estimated  Labour  Force  Participation  Rate  (LFPR)  on  usual status  for  women  of  age  15  years  and  above  in  the  country  was  30.0%, 32.5% and 32.8% during 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively, which shows an increasing trend.

The  Government  has  taken  various  steps  to  improve  women's participation in the labour force and quality of their employment. 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.

The Code on Occupational Safety, Health And Working Conditions (OSH),  2020  has  the  provisions  for  the  employment  of  women  in  the aboveground mines including opencast workings has been allowed between 7 pm and 6 am, 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  has  provisions  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.

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.

Further, the employment generation coupled with improving employability is the priority of the Government. Accordingly, the Government of India has taken various steps for generating employment in the country.

Investments in Infrastructure and productive capacity have a large multiplier  impact  on  growth  and  employment.  The  budget  of  2023-24 proposed to increase capital investment outlay steeply for the third year in a row by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore, which would be 3.3 per cent of GDP. This substantial increase in recent years is central to the government's efforts to enhance growth potential and job creation.

The  Government  of  India  has  announced  Aatmanirbhar  Bharat package  to  provide  stimulus  to  business  and  to  mitigate  the  adverse impact of Covid 19. Under this package, the Government is providing fiscal stimulus  of  more  than  Rupees  Twenty  Seven  lakh  crore.  This  package comprises of various long term schemes/ programmes/ policies for making the country self-reliant and to create employment opportunities.

The Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) was launched with effect from 1st October, 2020 to incentivize employers for creation of new employment  and  restoration of loss of employment  during Covid-19 pandemic. The terminal date for registration of beneficiaries was 31.03.2022. Since inception of the scheme, till 11.03.2023, benefits of Rs. 8805.0  Crore  have  been  provided  to  60.3  lakhs  beneficiaries  and  out  of which  benefits of Rs. 744.9 Crore have  been  provided  to 4.3 lakh beneficiaries of Uttar Pradesh. Total benefits of Rs. 2562.7 Crore have been provided to 15.8 lakhs women beneficiaries and out of which benefits of Rs. 167.3 Crore have been provided to 83.9 thousands women beneficiaries of Uttar Pradesh.

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) was launched by the Government for facilitating  self-employment.  Under  PMMY,  collateral  free loans upto Rs. 10 lakh, are extended to micro/small business enterprises and  to  individuals  to  enable  them  to  setup  or  expand  their  business activities.  As  on  24.02.2023,  an  amount  of  Rs  21.83  lakh  crore  was disbursed  in  39.65  crore  loan  accounts  sanctioned  and  out  of  which,  an amount of Rs. 2.01 lakh crore was disbursed in 3.80 crore loan accounts in Uttar Pradesh.

The  Government of India is encouraging various projects involving substantial  investment  and  public  expenditure  on  schemes  like  Prime Minister's  Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) and Deen Dayal Antodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) etc. for employment generation.

The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes is being implemented by the Government with an outlay of Rs. 1.97 lakh crore, for a period of 5 years starting from 2021-22 which have potential for creating 60 lakh new jobs.

Further,  the  Ministry  of  Skill  Development  and  Entrepreneurship (MSDE)  is  implementing  the  National  Apprenticeship  Promotion  Scheme (NAPS) and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) to enhance the employability of youth. Besides these initiatives, various flagship programmes  of  the  Government  such  as  Make  in  India,  Start-up  India, Stand-up India, Digital India, Housing for All etc. are also oriented towards generating employment opportunities.

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