Lok Sabha Question No. 1311 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-25
Subject: Labour Participation Rate
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Sangeeta Azad

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1311

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 TH  JULY, 2022

## LABOUR PARTICIPATION RATE

## 1311. SHRIMATI SANGEETA AZAD:

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

- (a) whether according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, Labour Participation Rate (LPR) in rural India is 40.9 per cent compared to 37.4 in  urban  India during  the  period  Jan-April  2022  and  the  percentage of LPR of urban male is much higher at 64.2 per cent as against 6.7 per cent among urban female; and
- (b)
- if so, the reaction of the Government thereto; and
- (c) the reasons for India's 25 per cent female LPR which is nowhere-near the global average i.e. 47.7 per cent?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)  &  (c):  The  data  on  Employment  and  Unemployment  is  collected  through Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) since 2017-18. The survey period is July to June of the next year. As per the latest available Annual PLFS report 202021, the estimated Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) on usual status for persons of age 15 years and above was 57.4% in rural sector and 49.1% in Urban sector during 2020-21.

Further, the estimated female LFPR on usual status for age 15 years and above  was  32.5%  during  2020-21.  Some  studies  indicate  that  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 under-reported.

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.

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