Women unemployment rate falls to 4.2% in 2019-20

Unemployment rate for women fell to 4.2 per cent in 2019-20 from 5.1 per cent in 2018-19, according to Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by National Statistical Office (NSO).

The NSO is a wing of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. "Unemployment rate for women has come down from 5.1 per cent in 2018-19 to 4.2 per cent in 2019-20," a labour ministry statement said.

As per the PLFS for 2019-20, of the total employment generated (in person days) in the 2020-21 under MGNREGS, women's share has increased to around 207 crore person days.

The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for women has increased from 24.5 per cent in 2018-19 to 30.0 per cent in 2019-20.

According to the statement, the findings of the survey were informed by Minister of State for Labour and Employment Rameshwar Teli in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

The government has taken several initiatives to improve women’s participation in the labour force. In order to encourage employment of women, a number of protective provisions have been incorporated in the labour laws for creating congenial work environment for women workers.

These include 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 government has taken a decision to allow the employment of women in the aboveground mines including opencast workings 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.

Further, in order 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.

Government has taken various steps for generating employment in the country like encouraging various projects involving substantial investment and increasing public expenditure on schemes like Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pt. DeenDayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) and Deendayal Antodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM).

Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojna (ABRY) Scheme has been launched with effect from 1st October 2020 to incentivize creation of new employment along with social security benefits and restoration of loss of employment.

This scheme reduces the financial burden of the employers and encourages them to hire more workers. Under ABRY, Government of India is providing for a period of two years both the employees’ share (12% of wages) and employer’s share (12% of wages) of contribution payable or only the employees’ share, depending on employment strength of the EPFO registered establishments.

The new employees under the scheme include those who lost their jobs during Covid-19 and didn’t join in any EPF covered establishment upto September 30, 2020. The terminal date for registration of beneficiary under the scheme has been extended from 30th June, 2021 to 31st March, 2022.

As on 12th July 2021, total benefit of around Rs.993 crores has been given through 84,390 establishments covering more than 22 lakh beneficiaries including 5.88 lakh women beneficiaries.

Government is incentivizing employers for creation of new employment with social security benefits. Under the scheme, Government of India is paying Employer’s full contribution i.e. 12 per cent towards EPF and EPS both (as admissible from time to time) for a period of three years to the new employees through EPFO.

The terminal date for registration of beneficiary through establishment was 31st March 2019.

The beneficiaries registered upto 31st March, 2019 will continue to receive the benefits for 3 years from the date of registration under the scheme. Under PMRPY, as of June 14, 2021, benefits have been given to 1.21 crores beneficiaries including 26.05 lakhs women beneficiaries.

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) has been initiated by Government inter alia, for facilitating self-employment.

Under PMMY collateral free loans upto Rs. 10 lakh, are extended to micro/small business enterprises and to individuals to enable them to setup or expand their business activities.

About 70 per cent of the loans have been given to women entrepreneurs. The government has increased MGNREGA wage to Rs. 202 a day from Rs. 182 to benefit nearly 13.62 crore families.

Out of total employment generated (in person days) under MGNREGS, women share has increased from around 145.35 crore person days in FY 2019-20 to around 207 crore person days in the FY 2020-21.