Current Socio-Economic Problems
Rising Informality of Women in Manufacturing Workforce
▪ The manufacturing sector, contributing approximately 17% to India’s GDP, is considered a key driver for economic growth under the vision of Viksit Bharat.
▪ However, women remain significantly underrepresented in the sector, particularly in formal
employment, reflecting deeper structural and socio-economic challenges.
Current Status of Women in Manufacturing in India
▪ Formal Sector: Women’s share in formal manufacturing has declined from 20.9% in 2015-16 to 18.9% in 2022-23, with only 1.57 million women out of 8.34 million formal workers.
▪ Tamil Nadu employs the highest share (41%) of women, followed by Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat, together accounting for nearly 75% of all women in formal manufacturing.
▪ Gender disparity is high in Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, and Haryana (less than 6% women),and even in industrialised states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh (less than 15% women).
▪ In contrast, southern states like Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu show relatively better female participation.
▪ Women are mostly employed in textiles, apparel, and food processing, which make up 60% of female employment.
▪ Informal Sector: Women make up 43% of the informal manufacturing workforce, but are mostly employed in low-paying, low-skilled jobs without job security or benefits.
