3.6 Percent of Women do Not Have Gainful Employment: Mallikarjun Kharge

The Union Labour & Employment Minister, Mallikarjun Kharge said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that 3.6 percent of women in the age group of 15 and above do not have gainful employment in the country.

Referring to a survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSS), he said "the share of females employed on usual status basis was 26.1 percent in rural areas and 13.8 percent in urban areas, in 2009- 2010. This share was 29.9 percent in rural areas and 13.9 percent in urban areas during 1999-2000."

In rural areas, 79.4 percent women are working as cultivators and agriculture laborers. In urban areas, 34.6 percent of women are working in other services such as public administration, education and community services. The Minister also said the number of person-days of employment was 3.45 lakhs, in both rural and urban areas.

"As per NSS  Report on Migration in India for rural females, the share of employment related reasons for migration has dropped from 1 percent in 1999-2000 to 0.7 percent in 2007-08 while for urban females, it has dropped from 3 percent in 1999-2000 to 2.7 percent in 2007-08," he added.

Here is the table showing the state-wise and urban/rural wise share of women employment in India, as per number of persons on usual status (All) basis per 1000 persons during 2009-10:

Source: Ministry of Union Labour & Employment