Initiative for Enhancing Women's Labour Force Participation in India

India is launching a pioneering initiative to boost the participation of adolescent girls in the labour market through door-to-door mobilisation for skills training.

Project Overview

• The Ministry of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is collaborating with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) on this pilot project.
• The aim is to prepare adolescent girls for the workforce at an early age, covering 3,800 girls across 27 districts in 19 states.
• Training will focus on non-traditional job roles such as IT, hospitality, and green jobs.

Incentives and Supports

• Incentives include boarding and lodging costs, conveyance allowance, a one-time travel cost, and a post-placement stipend.
• Soft skills training and holistic development programs, including health and wellness, career counseling, and job placements, will be provided.

Project Goals and Expansion

• The primary goals are to increase female workforce participation, empower women, and instill entrepreneurial skills.
• Success could lead to project expansion to more districts and states.

Current Status and Training

• The ministry has already enrolled 2,200 girls; 1,346 have been identified for batch formation across 21 training centers in 15 districts.
• Job roles include non-clinical caretaker for mother and newborn, play school facilitator, and care home supervisor, among others.

Statistical Context

• As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey by MoSPI, women's labour force participation in India increased from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24.
• This is still below the global average of over 53% and the male participation rate of over 75% in India.