The Government has been implementing many programmes which aim at providing access to education and vocational training to women. The most important being, the 'Women’s Vocational Training Programme' launched under the Directorate General of Employment & Training (DGE&T) in the Ministry of Labour. The programme attempts to promote the employment of women in industry, mainly organised sector as semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled workers by increasing their participation in skill training facilities. Under this programme, a separate 'Women’s Training Wing' has been set up at DGE&T Headquarters, which is responsible for designing and pursuing long term policies related to providing vocational training to women in the country. As part of the programme in the Central Sector, one National and ten Regional Vocational Training Institutes have been set up in different parts of the country. While, in the State Sector, a network of exclusive 'Women Industrial Training Institutes' have been set up under the administrative control of the State Governments. These institutes provide basic skill training to women.
A separate 'Cell for Women Labour' has been set up in the ministry to focus attention on the condition of working women and bring about an improvement therein. The Cell has the following functions:-
Formulation and coordination of policies and programmes for the female labour force within the framework of national manpower and economic policies.
Maintaining liaison with other Government agencies to secure effective implementation of the programmes in respect of women workers.
Monitoring the implementation of the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.
Setting up of an Advisory Committee under the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.
Giving grants-in-aid to Non-Governmental / Voluntary Organisations to formulate and execute action oriented projects for women workers.
Moreover, a number of protective provisions have been incorporated in the various laws enacted for equality and empowerment of women in order to create an enabling environment for women workers.
Maternity Benefit Act 1961
The Maternity Benefit Act regulates the employment of the women in certain establishments for a prescribed period before and after child birth and provides certain other benefits. The Act does not apply to any factory or other establishment to which the Employees State Insurance Act 1948 is applicable. Every women employee who has actually worked in an establishment for a period of at least 80 days during the 12 months immediately proceeding the date of her expected delivery, is entitled to receive maternity benefits under the Act. The employer is thus required to pay maternity benefits and/or medical bonus and allow maternity leave and nursing breaks.
The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976
The Equal Remuneration Act requires that no discrimination shall be made while recruiting men and women workers on and from the commencement of this Act, no employer shall, while making recruitment for the same work or work of a similar nature, (or in any condition of service subsequent to recruitment such as promotions, training or transfer), make any discrimination against women except where the employment of women in such work is prohibited or restricted by or under any law for the time being in force provided that such provisions shall not affect any priority or reservation for Scheduled caste or Scheduled Tribes, ex-servicemen, retrenched employees or any other class or category of persons in the matter of recruitment to the posts in an establishment of employment.
