Govt has taken number of steps to increase women participation in labour force: Labour minister

The government has taken a number of protective provisions under various labour laws for creating a congenial work environment for women workers and help increase their participation rate in the overall workforce of the country, the labour minister Santosh Gangwar said in a written response to a question in Rajya Sabha.

As per the results of Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted during 2017-18 and 2018-19 by National Statistical Office (NSO), ministry of statistics and programme implementation, the estimated female women worker population ratio (WPR) on usual status for 15 years and above in the country is 22.0% and 23.3% respectively.

“In order to encourage employment of women, a number of protective provisions have been incorporated in various labour laws for creating congenial work environments for women workers,” he said.

These include child care centers, enhancement in paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks, provisions for mandatory crèche facilities in the establishments having 50 or more employees, permitting women workers in the night shifts with adequate safety measures, etc.

Besides, 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 to all categories of employees and in below ground working between 6 AM and 7 PM in technical, supervisory and managerial work where continuous presence may not be required.

The minister further said that the Code on Wages, 2019 provides there shall be no discrimination in an establishment or any unit thereof among employees on the ground of gender in matters relating to wages by the same employer, in respect of the same work or work of similar nature done by any employee.

Further, no employer shall make any discrimination on the ground of sex while recruiting any employee for the same work or work of similar nature in the conditions of employment, except where the employment of women in such work is prohibited or restricted by or under any law for the time being in force. The Code on Wages, though notified in 2019 has not been implemented yet.