Lok Sabha Question No. 2291 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-09
Subject: Promotion of Self-employment for Women
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Jagdambika Pal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2291

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09 TH  DECEMBER, 2024

## PROMOTION OF SELF-EMPLOYMENT FOR WOMEN

## 2291. SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

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

- (a)   whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  promote  selfemployment, entrepreneurship  and  salaried  work  among  women and youth, if so, the details thereof;
- (b)   whether the contribution of women to farm/dairy sector labour is recognised as employment and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)   whether the household work done by women is also assigned as of an economic value; and
- (d)   whether in the formal sector, employment for women has increased during the last five years and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a) to (d): The official data source on Employment and Unemployment is Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) which is conducted by the Ministry of  Statistics  and  Programme  Implementation  (MoSPI)  since  2017-18. The survey period is July to June every year. As per the latest available Annual  PLFS  reports,  the  estimated  female  Worker  Population  Ratio (WPR)  on  usual  status  for  persons  of  age  15  years  and  above  has increased  from  28.7%  in  2019-20  to  40.3%  in  2023-24.  Further  the estimated  WPR  for  youth  (15-29  years)  has  increased  from  31.4%  in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24.

Employees'  Provident  Fund  Organization  (EPFO)  Payroll  Data indicates the level of employment  in  the  formal  sector. During September 2017 to August, 2024, more than 7.03 crore net subscribers, out of which 1.50 crore women, have joined EPFO, indicating increase in formalisation of employment specially of the female labour force.

Employment generation coupled with improving employability is a priority of Government. Accordingly, several Ministries/ Departments have taken various initiatives/measures to boost employment opportunities in the country, including for women and youth. The details of various employment generation schemes/ programmes being implemented by the Government of India may be seen at https://dge.gov.in/dge/schemes\_programmes.

Initiatives to encourage self-employment of women and youth in the country include StandUP India, 'MUDRA' (or Prime Minister's Micro -Units Development  &  Refinance  Agency)  Yojana,  National  Rural Livelihoods Mission, Start-up India, Prime Minister's  Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Women in Science and EngineeringKIRAN (WISE-KIRAN), SERB-POWER  (Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research), Mission Shakti, Namo Drone Didi and Lakhpati Didi, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY), Rural Self Employment and Training Institutes (RSETIs), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAYNULM), Production Linked Incentive, Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM), etc.

To enhance the employability of female workers, the Government  is  also  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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