Punjab grapples with low women employment rate

Neeraj Mohan

New Delhi, February 5

In a concerning revelation of significant gender disparity in workforce participation in Haryana and Punjab, only 19.7 per cent and 25.2 per cent women are employed in these states, in stark contrast with the national average of 36 per cent.

Moreover, the unemployment rates in both states are higher compared to the national average of 3.2 per cent, standing at 6.1% as the disparity underscores the urgent need for targeted initiatives to enhance women’s participation in the workforce and address prevailing unemployment challenges in both states.

The estimated worker population ratio (WPR) figures, derived from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), highlight the need for concerted efforts to boost employment opportunities and address the gender gap in workforce participation.

The data paints a compelling picture of the evolving landscape in both states, demonstrating a surge in the number of working women in Punjab over the last three years, outpacing Haryana. In the fiscal year 2020-21, Punjab recorded a working women percentage of 21.1%, a figure that ascended to 21.9% in 2021-22. emarkably, this positive trajectory experienced a significant upswing, surging by nearly 4%, culminating in an impressive 25.2% in 2022-23.

Conversely, Haryana witnessed a relatively subdued growth rate in the percentage of working women, registering a modest 2% increase over the same three-year period. Starting at 18.1% in 2020-21, this figure dipped marginally to 17.4% in 2021-22 and eventually settled at 19.7% in 2022-23. Despite this, Haryana is at the third position in the category of states with lowest working women population after Delhi with 14.5% and Assam with 19.6%.

The data on the estimated unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 years and above reveals that Punjab witnessed 6.2%, 6.4%, and 6.1% during 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23, respectively. Similarly, the WPR on usual status for persons aged 15 years and above in Haryana and Punjab shows a significant disparity between genders, with females accounting for only 19.7% and 25.2% compared to males at 68.2% and 74.2%, respectively.

Whereas the nationwide average WPR on usual status for individuals aged 15 years for men and women was recorded in 2023, 76.0% and 35.9%, respectively.

Despite efforts to address unemployment challenges, both Punjab and Haryana share the third position in the list of states with the highest unemployment rates, following Goa and Kerala. India’s overall unemployment rate stands at 3.2%, with rural unemployment at 2.4%.