India Targets 55% Female Workforce Participation by 2030:
The Ministry of Labour and Employment has announced a strategic plan to raise India’s Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) from 41.7% (FY24) to 55% by 2030. The target is aimed towards Bridging the Gender Employment Gap.
- Women entering the workforce boost overall productivity, enhance innovation, and strengthen financial stability, making India more resilient and competitive globally.
- As per McKinsey report pushing gender equality can deliver a sizable additional economic growth and could add Rs 46 lakh crore (USD 700 billion) to India’s GDP in 2025.
- Women bring varied perspectives that deepen the labour pool, stimulate fresh ideas, and help industries adapt to changing economic trends.
Sectors such as healthcare, education, financial services, and STEM stand to gain significantly from a balanced gender workforce. - Workforce participation empowers women through financial independence, asset ownership, and bargaining power, which are critical for achieving SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
- Empirical studies show that women tend to invest a greater share of their income in education, nutrition, and healthcare for their families.
- This enhances human capital development and breaks intergenerational cycles of poverty.
- Expanding women’s role across sectors—from agriculture and MSMEs to AI and clean energy—promotes equitable and sustainable development.
- Women’s workforce integration is not just a rights-based issue but a strategic economic imperative, crucial for India’s transition to a USD 5 trillion economy and achievement of the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
