Lok Sabha Question No. 1065 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-10
Subject: Support to Women at Work Places
Ministry: CORPORATE AFFAIRS
Asked by: Smt. Sanjna Jatav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1065 ANSWERED ON MONDAY, FEBRURAY  10, 2025 MAGHA 21, 1946 (SAKA)

## SUPPORT TO WOMEN AT WORK PLACES

QUESTION

1065. Smt. Sanjna Jatav:

Will the Minister of CORPORATE AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to make thorough diversity, equity and inclusion efforts by listening views of women at workplace and by using database analysis to remove obstacles being faced by women in different professions  and  by  streamlining  policies  supporting  women  at  different stages of life;
- (b)  if  so,  the  details  of  the  initiatives  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the
- Government in this regard; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS AND MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ROAD,  TRANSPORT  AND

HIGHWAYS

## (a) & (b)

1. The Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013), administered by the Ministry of Corporate  Affairs,  has  many  provisions  intending  to  nurture  a  safe, secure  and  non-discriminating  environment  for  women  at  workplace which are as under;
2. (a) 2 nd  Proviso to the Section 149 of the Companies Act read with Rule 3 of  Companies  (Appointment  and  Qualification  of  Directors)  Rules, 2014, makes it mandatory for every listed company and every other public company having paid up share capital of Rs. 100 crore or more or  having  turnover of Rs. 300 crore or more to appoint at least one woman director.
3. (b) Specified  companies  in  its  Board  Report,  to  be  attached  with  the Financial Statement filed annually, has to include a statement that the company has complied with provisions relating to the constitution of Internal  Complaints  Committee  under  the  Sexual  Harassment  of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 [14 of 2013]

[ SHRI HARSH MALHOTRA]

2. Further, the Government has taken a number of initiatives to support women employees and women owned enterprises, as follows:
2. (a) To support women entrepreneurs under Credit Guarantee Scheme for Micro  and  Small  Enterprises,  additional  benefits  has  been  given  to women than to the other entrepreneurs.
3. (b) Under  Prime  Minister  Employment  Generation  Programme  (PMEGP), which is a major credit-linked subsidy program in which the substantial beneficiaries are women who are provided higher subsidy viz-a-viz nonspecial category
4. (c) Stand-Up India (SUI) Scheme has the objective to facilitate loans from Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) of value between Rs. 10 lakh and Rs. 1 crore to at least one Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) borrower and one women borrower per bank branch for setting up greenfield enterprise.
5. (d) An initiative namely "Yashasvini', was launched on 27.06.2024, which aims to campaign for women entrepreneurs and empower women by building their capacity, with a focus in Tier-II/III towns.
6. (e) The Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Code on Wages, 2019 have provisions regarding maternity benefits to women workers and nondiscrimination on grounds of gender respectively.
7. (f) The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (SH Act) provides a legislative framework for prevention of sexual harassment at workplace. The Act provides for constitution of Internal Committee (IC) where the number of employees is 10 or more and also mandates for constitution of Local Committee (LC) by the District Officer notified under the Act to deal with the cases of workplaces where the number of employees is less than 10 or when the complaint is against the employer itself.
8. (g) In order to provide for a centralized platform for details of ICs and LCs available  in  the  country  as  well  as  for  providing  a  platform  to  the aggrieved  woman  to  file  her  complaint,  a  revamped  version  Sexual Harassment electronic -Box (SHe-Box) was launched by Government on 29.08.2024. This is an effort of Government of India to provide a single window access to every woman, irrespective of her work status, whether working in organised or unorganised, private or public sector, to facilitate the registration of complaint related to sexual harassment.
9. (h) Under  Maternity Benefit (Amendment)  Act, 2017, Section 11(a) stipulates  that  every  establishment  having  fifty  or  more  employees shall have the facility of creche.
10. (i) To facilitate working mothers in giving due care and protection to their children, 'Palna' - a Centrally Sponsored Scheme was introduced w.e.f. 01  April  2022,  for  providing  day  care  facilities  and  protection  to children.

- (c) Does not arise.

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