India Sees Steady Increase in Labour Force Participation Rate
The data on Employment and Unemployment is collected through Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) since 2017-18. The survey period is July to June every year.
As per the data available in latest Annual PLFS Reports, the estimated Unemployment Rate (UR) on usual status during the years 2020-21 to 2022-23 are as follows:
(%)
| Year | UR for 15 years and above | UR for years 15-29 | ||
| Women | Rural | Total | Youth | |
| 2020-21 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 4.2 | 12.9 |
| 2021-22 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 12.4 |
| 2022-23 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 10.0 |
Source: PLFS
The estimated Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) on usual status for persons of age 15 years and above in the country during 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 are as follows:
(%)
| Years | Women LFPR | Total LFPR |
| 2020-21 | 32.5 | 54.9 |
| 2021-22 | 32.8 | 55.2 |
| 2022-23 | 37.0 | 57.9 |
Source: PLFS, MoSPI
The data indicates that the Labour Force Participation Rate in the country has been increasing over the years. Further, the women LFPR has also increasing trend.
Employment generation coupled with improving employability is the priority of the Government. Accordingly, the Government of India has taken various steps for generating employment in the country including women.
Government has incorporated a number of provisions in the labour laws for equal opportunity and congenial work environment for women workers like paid maternity leave, flexibile working hours, equal wages etc.
The various Ministries/ Departments of Government of India like Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Textile, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology etc. are implementing different employment generation schemes/ programmes like Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), 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), Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), etc. including increase in capital expenditure to boost employment creation. 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.