Lok Sabha Question No. 5071 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-04-03
Subject: Decline in Female Labour Force
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shivkumar Chanabasappa Udasi, Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangre, Sanjay(Kaka) Ramchandra Patil, Vijay Baghel, Arun Sao, Mohan Mandavi, Rajendra Agrawal

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5071 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03 RD  APRIL, 2023

## DECLINE IN FEMALE LABOUR FORCE

## 5071.  SHRI SHIVAKUMAR C. UDASI :

SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL :

SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL :

SHRI MOHAN MANDAVI :

SHRI ARUN SAO :

SHRI SUDHAKAR TUKARAM SHRANGARE :

SHRI SANJAY KAKA PATIL :

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  of  three  percentage  point decline in Female Labour Force Participation Rate since 2021;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor;
- (c) the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  enhance  women's participation in labour force;
- (d) whether the Government is aware that the labour force participation of women has declined even during the pandemic and if so, the details thereof and the reasons for the same; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  taken  specific  steps  to  encourage employment amongst unemployed women and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a) to (e) : 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, 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. Total benefits of Rs. 2562.7 Crore have been provided to 15.8 lakhs women beneficiaries.

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.

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, Standup  India,  Digital  India,  Housing  for  All  etc.  are  also  oriented  towards generating employment opportunities.

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