Lok Sabha Question No. 1677 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-10
Subject: Status of Women Worker in  Workforce Post COVID
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Dr. Gumma Thanuja Rani

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

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1677

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 TH  MARCH, 2025

## STATUS OF WOMEN WORKER IN WORKFORCE POST COVID

## 1677.    DR. GUMMA THANUJA RANI:

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

- (a) the  details  of  women  who  have  lost  their  jobs  in  rural  and  urban  job markets post COVID;
- (b) the details of the reasons due to which women do not want to return to their jobs;
- (c) the details of schemes that have been formulated by the Government to bring back women into this workforce; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (d):    The  official  data  on  Employment  and  Unemployment  is  collected through  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.

The estimated Worker Population Ratio (WPR) on usual status for women of age 15 years and above increased from 28.7% in 2019-20 to 40.3% in 202324.  In  rural  areas,  it  rose  from  32.3%  to  46.5%,  while  in  urban  areas,  it increased from 21.3% to 26% over the same period. The data of pre and post COVID period indicates that the WPR for women, indicating employment, has increased in both rural and urban areas.

According to PLFS 2023-24, women remain out of the labor force due to various factors, including childcare and personal commitments, social constraints, desire to continue studies, health/age-related reasons, and financial stability, etc.

Employment  generation  coupled  with  improving  employability  is  the priority  of  the  Government.  Government  is  implementing  various  schemes  to boost women's participation in the labour force and quality of their employment,  like  Pradhan  Mantri  Mudra  Yojana  (PMMY),  Stand-UP  India Scheme,  Startup  India,  Prime  Minister's  Employment  Generation  Programme (PMEGP),  Women  in  Science  and  Engineering-  KIRAN  (WISE-KIRAN),  SERBPOWER (Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research), Mission Shakti, Namo Drone Didi and Lakhpati Didi, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural

Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS),  Pt.  Deen Dayal  Upadhyaya Grameen  Kaushalya  Yojana  (DDU-GKY),  Rural  Self  Employment  and  Training Institutes  (RSETIs),  Deen  Dayal  Antodaya  Yojana-National  Urban  Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), Production Linked Incentive, etc. 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.

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.

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.

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.

Further,  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.

Union  Budget  2025-26  has  also  announced  a  new  scheme  for  5  lakh women/Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes first-time entrepreneurs which will provide term loans up to Rs. 2 crore during the next 5 years.

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