A growth story that needs women at work
The article argues that India's goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047 is hindered by slowing economic growth and high youth unemployment. It emphasizes that increasing female workforce participation is essential to boosting GDP and achieving long-term economic stability.
Why it matters
Gender-inclusive economic policy is presented as a critical lever for India to escape its current growth stagnation and reach its development targets.
India aspires to become a developed country (Viksit Bharat) by 2047, yet youth unemployment is already double the rate of 2012. India, especially the government, may be forced to recognise the weaknesses of India’s economy due to the West Asia war shock . However, weakness pre-dates this exogenous shock. Policy-induced shocks from 2016 (demonetisation, a poorly designed Goods and Services Tax, NBFCs, COVID-19 pandemic management) to the economy had already reversed structural change (rise in farm employment, falling manufacturing share of gross value added and in employment); non-farm job growth had slowed. The economy became more unequal, and hence aggregate demand collapsed, and with it investment/GDP ratio. So, GDP growth is much slower (even if government figures of 6.2% p.a. are believed (it is actually at best 4.5%, as the former Chief Economic Adviser recently argued).
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