Lucknow, Jul 25 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh’s female labour force participation rate has seen a remarkable rise from just 14 per cent in 2017-18 to 36 per cent in 2023-24, the state government said on Friday, citing a new report findings.
The 22-per cent surge marks not just a statistical improvement but a deeper social and economic change, highlighting the increasing presence of women in various sectors of the workforce, it said.
The statement is based on the recently released Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) Index report.
The government noted that from improving women’s safety and launching the Mission Shakti program, to giving women priority in government jobs, allowing them to work night shifts, and increasing job opportunities in industries – women have been placed at the centre of all policy decisions.
According to the latest report, India’s female labour force participation rate in 2023-24 was 45 per cent, while Uttar Pradesh has reached 36 per cent.
“Although still slightly behind the national average, this is a major improvement compared to 2017-18, when the state’s rate was only 14 per cent, far below the national average of 25 per cent at that time,” the statement said.
“This shows that Uttar Pradesh has made significant progress and has worked hard to close this gap,” it noted.
Notably, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has taken several landmark decisions to enhance women’s participation in the industrial workforce and empower them economically.
In a major step, the government has allowed women to work in all 29 categories of factories that were earlier classified as hazardous and prohibited for female workers across the country.
Initially, conditional permission was given for only 12 categories, later extended to 16. Now, Uttar Pradesh has removed the restrictions altogether, allowing women to be employed in all 29 sectors — under specific safety and health conditions.
“Employers must strictly follow safety guidelines to ensure a secure and supportive working environment for women,” it added.
In another progressive move, the state government has also permitted women to work night shifts, provided employers arrange proper safety, transportation, food, and rest facilities.
“This is intended to help women work fearlessly in late hours and opens new employment avenues in sectors that operate round-the-clock,” it said.
According to the Labour and Employment Department, women now account for 53 per cent of registrations on the e-Shram portal and 34.65 per cent of workers in the construction sector are women.
Additionally, the government said it has has helped form more than 10 lakh self-help groups, connecting over one crore women with income-generating activities.
“This initiative has boosted women’s entrepreneurship and self-reliance across both urban and rural areas,” it added. PTI KIS OZ OZ
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.