Question : WOMEN LABOURERS

(a) whether the number of women labourers including women agricultural labourers has been increasing in the country;

(b) if so, the comparative details in this regard during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(c) whether the Government proposes to provide compulsory training to such women labourers for their skill improvement;

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(e) the various other steps taken by the Government to improve the status of such women labourers including agricultural labourers in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH)

(a) & (b) No, Madam. As per last two surveys on employment and unemployment conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), the workers population ratio (WPR) for women in labour force has come down from 22.8% in 2009-10 to 21.9% in 2010-11 on usual principal and subsidiary status basis.

(c) & (d) There is no proposal to provide compulsory training to such women, as it is not practically possible to do so.

(e) Government has taken various steps to improve status of such women labourers which include earmarking of funds under various Central schemes for skill development, asking States to facilitate easy registration of workers involved in construction work and also spend higher proportion of building and other construction worker welfare cess on skill development of registered workers and their families. With a view to providing social security to unorgnaised workers, including women labourers and agricultural workers, the Government has enacted the “Unorganized Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008” and has substantially increased ambit of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) to cover larger cross section of workers and their families.