“Recent data highlights a significant rise in female workforce participation in rural Uttar Pradesh, driven by government schemes and self-employment. From agriculture to MSMEs, women are transforming the economic landscape, with initiatives like DAY-NRLM boosting employability. However, challenges like unpaid work and wage gaps persist, underscoring the need for better job quality and infrastructure.”
Rural Women in UP Lead Workforce Transformation
Recent statistics from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24 reveal a remarkable surge in female workforce participation in rural Uttar Pradesh, aligning with national trends where the female employment rate rose from 22% in 2017-18 to 40.3% in 2023-24. In rural areas, this growth is even more pronounced, with a 96% increase in female employment, compared to 43% in urban areas. Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, is witnessing a transformative shift as rural women increasingly join the workforce, driven by government initiatives and economic necessity.
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM) has been a key catalyst, empowering women through skilling programs and access to credit for diversified livelihoods. As of October 2024, over 73,151 startups with at least one woman director were recognized under the Startup India Initiative, with Uttar Pradesh contributing significantly to this number. Women-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have also emerged as economic drivers, generating over 89 lakh jobs for women nationwide between FY21 and FY23, with UP’s rural women playing a pivotal role.
Agriculture remains the dominant sector for rural women in UP, with 87% of unpaid household enterprise workers engaged in farming and allied activities. However, the PLFS data indicates a shift towards self-employment, with female self-employment growing by 30%, from 51.9% in 2017-18 to 67.4% in 2023-24. This rise includes women working as own-account workers and unpaid helpers in family enterprises, particularly in rural UP, where economic distress post-COVID-19 has pushed many women into such roles. Despite this increase, the quality of employment remains a concern, as unpaid work in family farms or enterprises often goes unrecognized, and real earnings for self-employed rural women have declined over the past six years.
Government schemes like the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana have facilitated this shift by providing micro-credit to women entrepreneurs, with nearly 70% of beneficiaries being female. In UP, these initiatives have enabled rural women to start micro-enterprises, particularly in non-farm sectors like retail and small-scale manufacturing. The state’s push for digital financial inclusion has further supported this trend, with 84% of loans sanctioned under Start-Up India going to women-led ventures.
However, challenges persist. The increase in female workforce participation is partly distress-driven, with many women entering low-paying or unpaid roles due to a lack of formal job opportunities. The gender wage gap remains significant, with women earning 23% less than men for similar roles in 2022-23. Additionally, rural women in UP face barriers such as inadequate transport infrastructure, safety concerns, and the burden of domestic responsibilities, which limit their access to better-paying jobs. The 2019 Time Use Survey highlights that rural women spend an average of five hours daily on unpaid domestic work, compared to just 1.5 hours by men, further constraining their workforce participation.
Education is another critical factor. While the employability of female graduates in UP has improved from 42% in 2013 to 47.53% in 2024, women with lower education levels dominate the rural workforce, often in precarious, informal jobs. Initiatives like the Skill India Mission and Stand-Up India are addressing this by providing vocational training and entrepreneurial support, but the lack of formal salaried jobs remains a bottleneck. The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) data shows that 1.56 crore women have joined the formal workforce nationwide over the past seven years, with UP contributing a notable share, yet the proportion of rural women in regular salaried roles remains stagnant at around 10%.
The state government’s focus on infrastructure development, such as the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, has improved rural connectivity, enabling women to access job opportunities in nearby towns. However, without addressing social norms, childcare responsibilities, and the need for decent non-farm jobs, sustaining this workforce growth will be challenging. The Economic Survey 2024-25 emphasizes that while rural women in UP are driving labor market improvements, the lack of earnings growth and quality jobs calls for a nuanced approach to ensure meaningful economic empowerment.
Disclaimer: This article is based on recent news reports, government data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24, Economic Survey 2024-25, and studies from sources like the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) and The Wire. Information is accurate as of September 2025 and subject to change with new data.