“Empowering women is central to building a Viksit Bharat”: Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya

1. At a Glance

• Statement by Union Minister of Labour & Employment Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya at Swiggy's 'SwigStree' event linking women's labour-force participation, gig-worker formalisation and Labour Codes to the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision [1].
• Convergence theme: FLFPR, Code on Social Security 2020, e-Shram, and equal pay — examinable across Prelims (schemes/data) and Mains (GS-II governance, GS-III economy/employment).

2. Why in the News

• 28 April 2026: Dr. Mandaviya, addressing Swiggy's 'SwigStree' women delivery partners' programme, asserted FLFPR rose from 23.3 % (2017-18) to 40 % (2025) and that Labour Codes formally recognise gig/platform workers for the first time, with equal pay for equal work enshrined [1].
• Follows formal operationalisation of the four Labour Codes and the Aggregator module on e-Shram (Dec 2024) [3].

3. Background & Evolution

• 2017-18: Female LFPR at low of 23.3 % (PLFS baseline) [1].
• 2020: Code on Social Security, 2020 enacted — first statutory definition of "gig worker" and "platform worker" in Indian law [3].
• 26 August 2021: e-Shram portal launched by MoLE for National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW); provides Universal Account Number (UAN) [3].
• 12 December 2024: Aggregator module on e-Shram launched; 12 aggregators onboarded — Zomato, Blinkit, Uncle Delivery, Urban Company, Uber, Amazon, Ola, Swiggy, Ecom Express, Rapido, Zepto, Porter [3].
• Budget 2025-26: Identity cards for gig workers + AB-PMJAY health cover extended to them [3].
• 2025: PLFS Annual Report — FLFPR (15+) = 40.0 %; overall LFPR = 59.3 % [2].

4. Core Static Facts

• Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoLE); statistics by NSO, MoSPI via PLFS [2].
• Enabling Statute: Code on Social Security, 2020 — Sections defining gig/platform workers; benefits cover life & disability, accident insurance, health & maternity, old-age protection [3].
• Four Labour Codes: Wages; Industrial Relations; Social Security; Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions [1][3].
• Key data 2025 (PLFS):
• Female LFPR (15+) = 40.0 %; Rural female LFPR = 45.9 %; Urban ≈ 25-28 % [2].

• Female WPR (2025) = 38.8 %; Dec 2025 female WPR = 33.6 % [2].

• Portal: eshram.gov.in; UAN issued on self-declaration [3].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Economic

• Near-doubling of FLFPR (23.3 % → 40 %) signals demographic-dividend monetisation; ILO/NITI peg every 10-pp FLFPR rise at ~1 % GDP add [1][2].
• Formalisation of platform economy widens tax + social-security base [3].

Social

• Equal pay for equal work statutorily mandated under Code on Wages, 2019 (subsumed in Labour Codes) — reduces gender wage gap [1].
• Women gig workers (Swiggy SwigStree cohort) seen as agents of household income mobility [1].

Legal / Constitutional

• Operationalises Art. 39(d) (equal pay) and Art. 41 (right to work/social security) DPSPs [1].
• First-time legal identity to gig/platform workers fills a long-standing informal-sector vacuum [3].

Administrative

• e-Shram + Aggregator module = centralised registration architecture; states implement welfare boards [3].
• AB-PMJAY convergence shows scheme stacking model [3].

Ethical / Governance

• Recognises algorithmic-management workers as a distinct labour class — addresses platform-capitalism accountability gaps [3].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 12 Dec 2024: Aggregator module on e-Shram launched; 12 aggregators onboarded [3].
• Feb 2025 (Budget 2025-26): Gig-worker ID cards + AB-PMJAY extension announced [3].
• 2025 (calendar-year PLFS): Female LFPR hits 40.0 % [2].
• 28 Apr 2026: Mandaviya speech at Swiggy SwigStree event reiterating Viksit Bharat-women linkage [1].

7. Prelims Hooks

• Female LFPR (15+) rose from 23.3 % (2017-18) to 40.0 % (2025) per PLFS [1][2].
• Code on Social Security, 2020 is the first Indian law to define "gig worker" and "platform worker" [3].
• e-Shram portal launched 26 August 2021 by Ministry of Labour & Employment [3].
• e-Shram Aggregator module launched 12 December 2024; 12 aggregators onboarded [3].
• PLFS is conducted by NSO under MoSPI (not Ministry of Labour) [2].
• Rural female LFPR (2025) = 45.9 %; significantly higher than urban [2].
• Health cover for gig workers routed through AB-PMJAY [3].
• UAN under e-Shram issued on self-declaration basis [3].
• Aggregators onboarded include Zomato, Blinkit, Urban Company, Uber, Amazon, Ola, Swiggy, Ecom Express, Rapido, Zepto, Porter, Uncle Delivery [3].
• Equal pay norm under Labour Codes traces to DPSP Article 39(d) [1].
• Overall LFPR (15+) for 2025 = 59.3 %; female WPR = 38.8 % [2].
• 'SwigStree' is a Swiggy initiative for women delivery partners [1].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-II: Government policies & interventions for vulnerable sections; welfare schemes.
• GS-III: Indian Economy — employment, inclusive growth; mobilisation of resources.
• GS-I (Society): Role of women; women's empowerment.

Likely stems

1. "Formal recognition of gig and platform workers under the Code on Social Security, 2020 is necessary but not sufficient." Examine. (GS-II/III, 15 marks)
2. "Doubling India's Female Labour Force Participation Rate is central to the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision." Critically analyse the constraints and policy levers. (GS-III, 15 marks)
3. Discuss how digital public infrastructure (e-Shram, AB-PMJAY) is reshaping social-security delivery to unorganised workers. (GS-II, 10 marks)

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• Four Labour Codes (2019-2020) — statutory backbone of reform.
• PLFS methodology & latest annual report — data interpretation.
• e-Shram & NDUW — DPI for informal sector.
• AB-PMJAY (PM-JAY) — convergence scheme.
• Code on Wages, 2019 — equal pay & minimum wage architecture.
• Viksit Bharat @2047 — overarching vision document.
• DPSPs Art. 39, 41, 42 — constitutional anchor for labour welfare.
• NITI Aayog SDG Index (Goal 5 & 8) — gender + decent work tracking.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• PLFS ≠ MoLE survey: it is conducted by NSO under MoSPI, not Labour Ministry [2].
• Gig vs platform worker definitions are distinct in the Code on Social Security, 2020 — not interchangeable [3].
• e-Shram launched in 2021, not 2020; Aggregator module is a 2024 addition — do not conflate dates [3].
• FLFPR figure of 40 % is calendar-year 2025 PLFS, not 2024-25 fiscal — watch the survey-year shift to January-December.
• Equal pay is under Code on Wages, 2019, but commonly cited within the broader Labour Codes bundle.