Progress or distress? Women's participation in workforce increases

What is behind the rising female participation in labour force, especially in rural areas? The answer depends on who you are listening to

In October last year, addressing a million new trainees passing out from the Industrial Training Institutes and other skill development programmes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the “unprecedented increase” in the participation of women in India's workforce. The credit, he said, went to his government’s schemes and campaigns to drive women empowerment.
 

The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) corroborates the increase. The latest edition of the survey, released by the ministry of statistics for the period between July 2022 and June 2023, shows the Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) in the country has continuously risen for at least six