The female unemployment rate in the country declined significantly between January and March. This information was obtained from the Periodic Labour Force Surveys (PLFS) released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) on Thursday.
The Periodic Labour Force Survey reported that the female unemployment rate declined to 8.5 percent in the March quarter of 2024 from 9.2 percent in the same period last year. The unemployment rate decreased between January and March, reaching 6.7 percent from 6.8 percent earlier.
Between January and March 2024, the labour force participation rate (LFPR) increased to 50.2 per cent, up from 48.5 per cent last year. The female labour force participation rate increased to 25.6 per cent in the March quarter of 2024, up from 22.7 per cent in the March quarter of last year.
The female worker population ratio in urban areas increased to 23.4 percent in the March quarter of 2024, up from 20.6 percent in the same period last year. In the last ten years, the Modi government has taken many steps to increase the number of women participating in labour. In 2017, the Modi government increased the benefit of maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. At the same time, maternity leave for women adopting a child was increased to 12 weeks.
Making Crèche Mandatory For Institutions With More Than 50 Employees
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at that time that through this step, the government is trying to ensure that the child gets good care after birth. The government required institutions with more than 50 employees to build crèches. Besides, the government also made provisions for working from home.
Rules Changed For Women Working In Night Shift
The government has also changed the rules to accommodate women working night shifts. Now, employers must provide pick-up and drop-off facilities for these women.
