EPFO’s new survey seeks details on women workers to boost their share in workforce

The survey questionnaire has been shared by the EPFO with its nearly 30 crore subscribers across the country. The employer rating survey was launched at an event “Women in the Workforce for Viksit Bharat” by the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the WCD ministry on Tuesday. Details have to submitted on the myscheme.gov.in portal.

As per the EPFO’s Annual Report for 2022-23, there are 29.88 crore members across 21.23 lakh establishments under the ambit of the retirement fund body.

Data shows women’s labour force participation rate (LFPR) has improved over the last few years but much of this increase has been seen in the unpaid work category. As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), the female participation rate rose to 27.8 per cent in 2022-23 from 17.5 per cent in 2017-18, but a major chunk of this is of the women reported as “helpers in household enterprises”, who do not receive any regular salary for their work.

According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, female LFPR reduced to 8.73 per cent in 2022-23 from 11.80 per cent in 2017-18. Female LFPR in rural areas slowed to 9.68 per cent in 2022-23 from 12.16 per cent in 2017-18, while that in urban areas moderated to 6.90 per cent in 2022-23 from 11.10 per cent in 2017-18.

Globally, the South Asia region had a female labour force participation rate of 26 per cent in 2022, with India’s neighbouring countries registering female LFPR of 33 per cent in Sri Lanka, 25 per cent in Pakistan, 29 per cent in Nepal, 38 per cent in Bangladesh and 61 per cent in China, as per World Bank.

In the proposed four labour codes, which are expected to replace a set of 44 central labour laws and are likely to come into effect after elections, the government has incorporated specific provisions for safeguarding the employment of women workers. The Code on Social Security, 2020 provides for enhanced paid maternity leave, provision for mandatory crèche facilities in 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 proposed tweaks in employment terms and conditions for women workers in the above-ground mines. The Code on Wages 2019 has provisions for no gender-based discrimination for wages in an establishment for similar nature of work.