New Delhi: Women's employment rate in India nearly doubled in the past seven years from 22 per cent in 2017-18 to 40.3 per cent in 2023-24, the labour ministry said on Monday.

It added that the unemployment rate fell from 5.6 per cent to 3.2 per cent during the same period.

One of the key pillars for achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047 is ensuring 70 per cent women workforce participation, the ministry said in a statement.

PLFS data shows that women's workforce participation rose from 22 per cent in 2017-18 to 40.3 per cent in 2023-24, while the unemployment rate declined from 5.6 per cent to 3.2 per cent.

The shift was significant in rural India, where female employment grew by 96 per cent, while urban areas saw an increase of 43 per cent in the same period.

The employability of female graduates increased from 42 per cent in 2013 to 47.53 per cent in 2024, while employment among women with postgraduate education rose from 34.5 per cent in 2017-18 to 40 per cent in 2023-24.

EPFO payroll data shows 1.56 crore women joined the formal workforce in seven years. E-Shram has recorded over 16.69 crore registrations of women unorganised workers, enabling access to welfare schemes.

Female self-employment grew by 30 per cent, from 51.9 per cent in 2017-18 to 67.4 per cent in 2023-24. Gender budgets have surged by 429 per cent in a decade to Rs 4.49 lakh crore in FY26.

Women-led MSMEs have generated 89 lakh additional jobs from FY21 to FY23, with their share rising from 17.4 per cent in 2010-11 to 26.2 per cent in 2023-24.

The ministry said women are no longer just participants but the backbone of India's economic growth.