Chandigarh: The participation of women in India’s workforce has significantly increased over the past six years, rising from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24. According to figures provided in a written reply in Rajya Sabha by the Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, the data is based on the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
The minister attributed the rise to several initiatives and protective measures in labour laws taken by the union government to encourage women’s employment. The Code on Social Security, 2020, has extended paid maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks and mandated crèche facilities in workplaces with 50 or more employees. Additionally, women are now permitted to work night shifts with adequate safety provisions.
The Code on Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions (OSH), 2020, allows women to work in above-ground mines between 7 pm and 6 am and below-ground mines between 6 am and 7 pm in technical and supervisory roles. However, previous figures revealed that between 2004-05 and 2019-20, the female workforce participation rate (FWFPR) increased from 16.6% to 16.8% in urban India, whereas it declined from 32.7% to 24% in rural India.
To enhance skills and employability, the government provides training through Women Industrial Training Institutes, National Vocational Training Institutes, and Regional Vocational Training Institutes.
In January 2024, an advisory was issued to employers, encouraging family-friendly policies such as paternity leave, parental leave, and flexible working arrangements.
The Union Budget 2024-25 announced plans to set up working women’s hostels and crèche facilities in collaboration with industries. The Budget 2025-26 has also introduced a new scheme for first-time women, Scheduled Caste, and Scheduled Tribe entrepreneurs, offering loans up to Rs 2 crore to 5 lakh beneficiaries over the next five years.
The data indicates that women’s participation in the labour force and the workforce has significantly increased over the years. During 2022-23, women’s participation in the labour force increased to 37.0%. Additionally, the estimated worker population ratio during this period rose to nearly 36% from 22% in 2017-18. The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, with an outlay of Rs 1.97 lakh crore for five years starting from 2021-22, has the potential to create 60 lakh new jobs.
