Lok Sabha Question No. 1380 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-28
Subject: Women's Participation in the Workforce
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Tanuj Punia

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1380 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 th  JULY, 2025

## WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN THE WORKFORCE

## 1380.    SHRI TANUJ PUNIA:

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

- (a) whether  it  is  true  that  women  in  the  country  are  getting  higher education but their participation in the formal workforce is relatively less;
- (b)
- if so, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the details of the female labour workforce participation rate in the country and its position in the global average; and
- (d) the  details  of  the  measures  being  taken  by  the  Government  to increase the formal workforce, participation in formal employment and entrepreneurship?

## 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.

As  per  the  latest  available  Annual  PLFS  reports,  the  estimated Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) on usual status for female of age 15  years  and  above  has  increased  from  23.3%  in  2019-20  to  41.7%  in 2023-24.

Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) Payroll Data indicates the level of employment in the formal sector.  During 2024 -25 alone, 26.9 lakh net female subscribers were added to the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), underlining a shift towards formal employment.

Employment  generation  coupled  with  improving  employability  is the  priority  of  the  Government.  Government  is  implementing  various schemes to boost the female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) like Pradhan  Mantri  Mudra  Yojana  (PMMY),  Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), StandUP India Scheme, Startup 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, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment  Guarantee Scheme  (MGNREGS),  Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-  National  Rural  Livelihoods  Mission  (DAY-NRLM),  Deen  Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), Rural Self Employment and Training Institutes (RSETIs), Deen Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods  Mission  (DAY-NULM),  PM Street  Vendor's  AtmaNirbhar  Nidhi  (PM  SVANidhi),  etc.  The  details  of various employment generation schemes/programmes being implemented by the Government may be seen at https://dge.gov.in/dge/schemes\_programmes .

Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment,  Government  of  India,  is running  the  National  Career  Service  (NCS)  Portal  which  is  a  one-stop solution for providing career related services including jobs from private and  government  sectors,  information  on  online  &  offline  job  fairs,  job search & matching, career counselling, vocational guidance, information on skill  development courses, skill/training  programmes etc.  through a digital platform [www.ncs.gov.in].

In  addition,  the  Union  Cabinet  has approved  the  Employment Linked  Incentive  (ELI)  Scheme  to  support  employment  generation, enhance  employability  and  social  security  across  all  sectors,  with special focus on the manufacturing sector.

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.

Under Section 46 of the Mines Act, 1952, the Central Government exempts  the  women  employed,  subject  to  the  following  conditions, namely:

- (i) In  case  of  women  employed  in  any  mine  above  ground,  the owner of a mine may deploy women between the hours of 7 pm and 6 am in the mine above ground including opencast working;
- (ii) In  case  of  women  employed  in  any  mine  below  ground,  the owner of a mine may deploy women between the hours of 6 am and 7 pm  in  technical,  supervisory  and  managerial  work  where  continuous presence may not be required.

Further,  the  Code  on  Occupational  Safety,  Health  and  Working Conditions (OSH), 2020 has the provisions that women shall be entitled to be employed in all establishments for all types of work and they may be employed, with their consent before 6 am and beyond 7 p.m. subject to such conditions relating to safety, holidays and working hours or any other conditions to be observed by the employer as may be prescribed by the appropriate Government.

Government  is  implementing  Skill  India  Mission  (SIM)  to  deliver skill,  re-skill  and  up-skill training through an extensive network of skill development  centres/  schools/  colleges  /institutes  etc.  under  various schemes,  viz.  Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Vikas  Yojana  (PMKVY),  Jan Shikshan  Sansthan  (JSS),  National  Apprenticeship  Promotion  Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the country. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready, equipped with industry relevant skills.

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 Institute.

The  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  is  implementing 'Palna' component under Mission Shakti for all States/UTs, under which providing day care facilities and protection of children is the main focus area.  Under  Palna,  Ministry  has  extended  free  services  of  childcare through Anganwadi cum Creches (AWCC).

Government  has  also  launched  'NAVYA'  (Nurturing  Aspirations through Vocational Training for Young Adolescent Girls) with an aim to equip  adolescent  girls  aged  16  to  18  years  with  vocational  training mainly in non-traditional and emerging job roles.

The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 provides for payment of equal remuneration to men and women workers for the same work or work of similar nature without any discrimination.

In  addition,  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment  in  January,  2024 issued  an  'Advisory  for  Employers  to  Promote  Women  Workforce Participation'.  This  advisory  inter -alia  mentions  the  need  for  balance between employment and care responsibilities for both men and women including  family  friendly  measures  such  as  paternity  leave,  parental leave, family emergency leave and flexible working arrangements.

The  Union  Budget  (2024-25)  announced  setting  up  of  working women hostels in collaboration with industry, and establishing crèches, for increasing participation of women in the workforce.

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