Lok Sabha Question No. 1641 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-13
Subject: Data of Women Participation in Workforce
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Sanjeev Kumar Singari, Jayanta Kumar Roy, Chinta Anuradha, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1641

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13 TH  FEBRUARY, 2023

## DATA OF WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN WORKFORCE

1641.  DR. SANJEEV KUMAR SINGARI:

DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

SHRIMATI CHINTA ANURADHA:

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

- (a) the State-wise data on participation of women in the workforce across the country during the last three years;
- (b) the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  increase  women's participation in the workforce;
- (c) whether it is true that despite several measures, the percentage of women in the organized sector is very less;
- (d) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reasons  for  the  occurrence  of  such  a phenomenon and the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (e) whether the Government has advocated the need for flexi working hours for women to increase the participation of women in workforce and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) whether  the  Government  is  considering  the  need  for  introducing  flexi working hours for women in compliance of Government vision and if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) the other steps being taken by the Government to increase the participation of women labour in work force?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (g): The official data source on Employment and Unemployment is Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) which is conducted by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation  (MoSPI)  since  2017-18.  The  survey  period  is  from July to June of next year. As per the latest available Annual PLFS Reports, the State/UT-wise  estimated  Worker  Population  Ratio  (WPR)  on  usual  status  for females of age 15 years and above during 2018-19 to 2020-21 is at Annexure.

Some studies indicate that though most women work and contribute to the economy  in  one  form  or  another,  much  of  their  work  is  not  documented  or accounted for in official statistics, and thus women's work tends to be underreported.

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.

*****

Annexure referred to in reply of part (a) to (g) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1641 due for reply on 13.02.2023.

State/UT-wise estimated Worker Population Ratio (WPR) (in %) on usual status for females of age 15 years and above for the period 2018-19 to 2020-21.

| S. No.   | States/UTs           | 2018-19   |   2019-20 | 2020-21   |
|----------|----------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| 1.       | Andhra Pradesh       | 38.2      |      37.6 | 43.9      |
| 2.       | Arunachal Pradesh    | 14.6      |      20.8 | 25.1      |
| 3.       | Assam                | 11.7      |      14.2 | 22.9      |
| 4.       | Bihar                | 4.2       |       9.4 | 10.4      |
| 5.       | Chhattisgarh         | 47.7      |      52.1 | 53.2      |
| 6.       | Delhi                | 16.1      |      14.5 | 12.9      |
| 7.       | Goa                  | 25.0      |      24.9 | 23.5      |
| 8.       | Gujarat              | 21.1      |      30.7 | 32.4      |
| 9.       | Haryana              | 14.1      |      14.7 | 18.1      |
| 10.      | Himachal Pradesh     | 56.3      |      63.1 | 61.1      |
| 11.      | Jharkhand            | 20.4      |      35.2 | 43.6      |
| 12.      | Karnataka            | 24.2      |      31.7 | 34.9      |
| 13.      | Kerala               | 25.3      |      27.1 | 28.2      |
| 14.      | Madhya Pradesh       | 27.5      |      37.2 | 40.1      |
| 15.      | Maharashtra          | 29.9      |      37.7 | 35.0      |
| 16.      | Manipur              | 22.9      |      26.8 | 20.1      |
| 17.      | Meghalaya            | 49.6      |      44.1 | 50.5      |
| 18.      | Mizoram              | 26.2      |      34.9 | 40.2      |
| 19.      | Nagaland             | 16.8      |      31.1 | 38.5      |
| 20.      | Odisha               | 22.8      |      31.8 | 32.2      |
| 21.      | Punjab               | 17.3      |      21.8 | 21.1      |
| 22.      | Rajasthan            | 30.2      |      37.6 | 39.0      |
| 23.      | Sikkim               | 48.9      |      58.5 | 60.6      |
| 24.      | Tamil Nadu           | 34.6      |      38.3 | 40.8      |
| 25.      | Telangana            | 35.2      |      41.8 | 43.4      |
| 26.      | Tripura              | 11.9      |      23.5 | 29.9      |
| 27.      | Uttarakhand          | 16.2      |      30.1 | 29.9      |
| 28.      | Uttar Pradesh        | 13.3      |      17.2 | 21.9      |
| 29.      | West Bengal          | 21.7      |      23.1 | 28.1      |
| 30.      | Andaman & N. Island  | 20.1      |      25.9 | 37.4      |
| 31.      | Chandigarh           | 22.3      |      18.8 | 23.2      |
| 32.      | Dadra & Nagar Haveli | 42.4      |      52.3 |           |
| 33.      | Daman & Diu          | 18.1      |      34.8 | 30        |
| 34.      | Jammu & Kashmir      | 30.8      |      33.1 | 39.9      |
| 35.      | Ladakh               | -         |      51.1 | 66.3      |
| 36.      | Lakshadweep          | 9.2       |      23.1 | 12.5      |
| 37.      | Puducherry           | 28.8      |      28.4 | 26.9      |
|          | All India            | 23.3      |      28.7 | 31.4      |

Source: PLFS, MoSPI