Business
Women’s Employment Rate In India Jumps From 22% To 40.3% In 6 Years
New Delhi: The Ministry of Labour and Employment on Monday highlighted that India has witnessed a remarkable increase in the female workforce participation rate, based on the periodic labour force survey (PLFS) data which shows that the women’s employment rate (WPR) grew from 22 per cent in 2017-18 to 40.3 per cent in 2023-24, while the unemployment rate (UR) dropped from 5.6 per cent in 2017-18 to 3.2 per cent in 2023-24.
This shift is even more significant in rural India, where female employment has grown by 96 per cent while urban areas have seen an increase of 43 per cent in employment during the same period.
The employability of female graduates has also increased from 42 per cent in 2013 to 47.53 per cent in 2024. The employment rate (WPR) among women with postgraduate education and above has risen from 34.5 per cent in 2017-18 to 40 per cent in 2023-24, as per the statement.
According to the India Skills Report 2025, nearly 55 per cent of Indian graduates are expected to be globally employable in 2025, up from 51.2 per cent in 2024.
Additionally, EPFO payroll data further highlights the increasing participation of women in the formal sector. Over the past seven years, 1.56 crore women have joined the formal workforce. Meanwhile, e-Shram, as of August, has recorded over 16.69 crore unorganised women workers’ registrations, providing them access to various social welfare schemes of the Centre.
The ministry has highlighted that efforts by the Centre are contributing to growth in women entrepreneurs. At the national level, 70 Central schemes across 15 Ministries and more than 400 state-level schemes focus on supporting female entrepreneurship. PLFS data shows that female self-employment grew by 30 per cent – from 51.9 per cent in 2017-18 to 67.4 per cent in 2023-24, making women truly Atmanirbhar, it said.
Gender budgets have increased by 429 per cent in the last decade, rising from Rs 0.85 lakh crore in FY 2013-14 (RE) to Rs 4.49 lakh crore in FY 2025-26. This reflects a paradigm shift from women’s development to women-led development, with a strong focus on employment, employability, entrepreneurship, and welfare.
Programmes like Startup India have fostered a thriving ecosystem, with nearly 50 per cent of DPIIT-registered startups having at least one woman director, i.e., 74,410 out of over 1.54 lakh. Today, around two crore women have become Lakhpati Didi. Flagship programmes such as Namo Drone Didi, and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – NRLM are also playing a crucial role in this transformation, equipping them with resources and opportunities needed to drive sustainable progress, the statement pointed out.
Another important driver of the rise in women’s self-employment is PM Mudra Yojana, which is playing a crucial role in financial inclusion, with women receiving 68 per cent of the total MUDRA loans – over 35.38 crore loans worth Rs 14.72 lakh crore. Similarly, PM SVANidhi has empowered street vendors, and around 44 per cent beneficiaries are women under the scheme. These initiatives are driving a new wave of economic self-reliance among women across India.
Additionally, women-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have also emerged as key drivers of economic expansion, generating over 89 lakh additional jobs for women from FY 21 to FY 23. The share of women-owned proprietary establishments has surged from 17.4 per cent in 2010-11 to 26.2 per cent in 2023-24, and the number of women-led MSMEs have also nearly doubled, growing from 1 crore in 2010-11 to 1.92 crore in 2023-24, highlighting the increasing role of women in shaping India’s economic future.
Business
Top stocks to buy today: Stock recommendations for August 28, 2025 – check list – The Times of India
Top stock market recommendations: According to Aakash K Hindocha, Deputy Vice President – WM Research, Nuvama Professional Clients Group, Nykaa, Kaynes, and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories are the top buy calls for today. Here’s his view on Nifty, Bank Nifty and the top stock picks for August 28, 2025:Index View: NiftyAfter an inside bar formation on Monday, Nifty opened with a gap down reeling all throughout the session ahead of its trading holiday on Wednesday. The index has closed below its trailing support of 24800 allowing for further downside to be opened for 24500 / 24350. Nifty has also formed a bearish head and shoulders formation on daily charts with a neck line support seen at 24450. A break below the same post monthly expiry could reel in further pressure on the index.Bank NiftyUnderperforming Nifty, Bank has broken its support of 55050 opening for a test of sub 54000 odd levels to begin with. The index has also closed at a 3.5 month low on daily charts ahead of its monthly expiry scheduled on Thursday. 55000 is likely to act as resistance on the upside while the index slides below sub 54000 levels in the coming week.NYKAA (BUY):
- LCP: 231.65
- Stop Loss: 223
- Target: 252
Stock has been gaining traction ever since its 3 year triangle breakout seen in June 2025. For now NYKAA has given the highest ever close in past 3 years of trading along with a huge cup and handle breakout on daily and weekly charts. This opens up for a 18-20% trading buy target on the stock, yet we would advise for an initial uptick being 250+ on this leg.KAYNES (BUY):
- LCP: 6197
- Stop Loss: 5980
- Target: 6620
After a cup and handle breakout in early August 2025, stock has been consolidating near the breakout zone for the past 4 weeks now. Last week’s price action suggests further move northwards from CMP as the stock has completed multiple retests of its ongoing breakout.Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (BUY):
- LCP: 1263
- Stop Loss: 1230
- Target: 1355
Sustaining above its 200 DMA support, DRREDDY’s has also given a bullish flag breakout on daily charts. This allows its initial upside to open for the 1350-1360 zone where it could meet another potential breakout on upside.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market and other asset classes given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)
Business
White House fires CDC director Monarez after she refuses to resign; 4 top health officials quit
Susan Monarez, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), testifies during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on June 25, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Kayla Bartkowski | Getty Images
The White House on Wednesday said it had fired Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez after she refused to resign. Four other top CDC officials announced they were quitting the embattled health agency.
The leadership crisis at CDC erupted the same day the Food and Drug Administration announced new limits on who can get the latest approved round of Covid vaccines in the U.S.
“Susan Monarez is not aligned with the President’s agenda of Making America Healthy Again,” White House Spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement to NBC News. “Since Susan Monarez refused to resign despite informing [Health and Human Services Department] leadership of her intent to do so, the White House has terminated Monarez from her position with the CDC.”
The statement comes hours after attorney Mark Zaid said he was representing Monarez and that she had not actually been fired yet or stepped down, adding that she would not resign.
“When CDC Director Susan Monarez refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts, she chose protecting the public over serving a political agenda,” Zaid said in a statement. “For that, she has been targeted.”
Earlier on Wednesday, HHS said in a post on X that “Monarez is no longer director” of the agency.
Monarez, a longtime federal government scientist, was sworn in on July 31. She is the first CDC director to be confirmed by the Senate following a new law passed during the pandemic that required lawmakers to approve nominees for the role.
The Washington Post first reported her ousting on Wednesday.
At least four other officials also submitted their resignations on Wednesday in a massive shakeup at the agency: Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC’s chief medical officer; Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Dr. Daniel Jernigan, the director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; and Dr. Jennifer Layden, director of the Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance and Technology.
Houry, in a resignation letter obtained by NBC News, wrote about the dangers of the spread of vaccine misinformation and said proposed budget cuts and reorganization plans would negatively impact the CDC’s ability to address conditions like hypertension, diabetes, cancer, overdoses and mental health issues.
In his resignation letter, also obtained by NBC News, Daskalakis said he was leaving the agency “because of the ongoing weaponizing of public health.”
Her departure comes at a tumultuous time for the agency, which is reeling from a gunman’s attack on its Atlanta headquarters on Aug. 8. A police officer died in the shooting.
Monarez on Friday canceled a meeting with CDC workers that had been scheduled for Monday, according to an email obtained by NBC News. She said she wanted to assure staff that the agency is working to restore their “trust in the safety and security of all CDC workplaces.”
President Donald Trump nominated Monarez after withdrawing his first pick to lead the CDC, former Republican congressman Dave Weldon, hours before his confirmation hearing. Weldon has been criticized for his views on vaccines.
— CNBC’s Michele Luhn contributed to this report.
NEW DELHI: Government is going to push for bridging the gaps on several contentious issues in trade talks with the European Union next month, while also demanding that the trading bloc offer concessions on carbon tax on the lines of the deal with the US, an official said Wednesday.“We are in the last mile, quite a few things are narrowing down. There are a handful of major issues and we are trying to narrow the gaps and then leave it to the leaders to take a political call,” the official said ahead of the next round of talks scheduled for Sept 8-12. EU commissioner for trade and economic security MaroS Šefcovicis also expected to travel to the Capital after the official level meeting to hold consultations with commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal.Both sides have set an year-end deadline to finalise the agreement and India is keen that it fills the missing link in Europe, having signed agreements with the UK and the four nation European Free Trade Association, comprising Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.The deals are part of efforts to push for a diversified trade basket that provides Indian exporters access to crucial markets. India already has trade pacts, from Australia to Asean, the UAE and Mercosur countries, and is seeking more deals.Sources suggested that govt will help exporters diversify, with the focus expanded from 20 countries to 50, while also coming out with export promotion measures to overcome the challenge of US tariffs. Intensive consultations are lined up with exporters in the coming days.Govt officials said based on the feedback, strategies to offset the impact of the US tariffs, including support from the Centre, will be devised.Outreach in countries, including the UK, Japan, and South Korea, to push textiles exports are also planned, with similar initiatives planned for other sectors. In case of textiles for instance, 40 potential markets have been identified and in each case a targeted approach is proposed, positioning Indian companies as reliable suppliers of quality, sustainable, and innovative textile products. Official said that export promotion councils (EPCs) will be the mainstay of the diversification strategy.
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