Abstract:-
PLFS data reveal significant hikes in the female labour force and female workforce participation rates in India between 2017-18 and 2022-23. There is a view that the surge in rural women employment is primarily caused by economic distress among rural households. It has also been claimed that the increase in the share of unpaid (family) workers reflects the economy’s inability to generate enough productive and remunerative jobs. In this paper, we scrutinize both claims. We find that increased women workforce participation is not attributable to economic distress in rural areas. We find empirical evidence that indicates that unpaid female (family) workers in rural areas are engaged in sufficiently productive work and are not disguisedly unemployed.

(With: Suresh Chand Aggarwal, Visiting Professor, Institute of Human Development, New Delhi)