female labour force participation is on a steady rise over the years with the rate getting more than doubled within a period of five years. In Odisha, women LFPR, which stood at 19.5% in 2017-18 has climbed to 44.7% in 2022-23.
Odisha also performs better than All-India in terms of female labour force participation. The north eastern States like Sikkim stays at the top with 68.6% in female labour force followed by Nagaland (65.2%), Meghalaya (60.9%)
Data provided by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation indicates that the women participation in the labour force has nationally recorded an increasing trend over the years. From 23.3% in 2017-18, it has increased to 37% in 2022-23 fiscal.
Similarly the Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in Odisha stands at 56.5 percent in 2022-23, an improvement from 55.3 per cent in 2019-20.
The data on Employment and Unemployment is collected through Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) which is conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) since 2017-18, said an official.
The Government has incorporated a number of provisions in the labour laws for equal opportunity and congenial work environment for women workers like paid maternity leave, flexible working hours, equal wages etc.
To enhance the employability of female workers, the Government is providing training to them through a network of Women Industrial Training institutes, National Vocational Training Institutes and Regional Vocational Training Institutes..
However, still the majority of the employment is in the agriculture and construction sector. Creation of more quality employment with better wage structure is the focus of the State.