Chandigarh, Feb. 15 -- The participation of women in India's workforce has significantly increased over the past six years, rising from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24. According to figures provided in a written reply in Rajya Sabha by the Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, the data is based on the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

The minister attributed the rise to several initiatives and protective measures in labour laws taken by the union government to encourage women's employment. The Code on Social Security, 2020, has extended paid maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks and mandated creche facilities ...