Recent PLFS data shows that the women's employment rate (WPR) grew from 22% in 2017-18 to 40.3% in 2023-24.

• Unemployment rate dipped from 5.6 per cent to 3.2 per cent in the same period.
• Female employment grew by 96% in rural areas and by 43% in urban areas.
• Women-Led Entrepreneurship
  • Rise in Self-Employment: Female self-employment increased by 30%, from 51.9% in 2017-18 to 67.4% in 2023-24.
  • Startups: Nearly 50% of DPIIT-registered startups have at least one woman director.
  • Access to Finance: Women received 68% of total MUDRA loans and form 44% of PM SVANidhi beneficiaries, promoting financial inclusion and self-reliance.
  • Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs): The number of women-led MSMEs almost doubled, from 1 crore in 2010-11 to 1.92 crore in 2023-24, generating over 89 lakh jobs for women.
• Gender budgets have increased by 429% in the last decade, signifying a paradigm shift from women's development to women-led development.
• Ensuring 70% female workforce participation is identified as a critical pillar for achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.