Home-Based Textile work has not been separately enumerated by the Ministry of Textiles, although the Government conducts various censuses and surveys across sectors, including textiles, to assess socio-economic indicators. Key surveys such as the Fourth All India Handloom Census (2019–20), the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), and the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises provide valuable insights into employment patterns. As per PLFS, the female Labour Force Participation Rate stands at 31.7%, with State/UT-wise data available. However, no specific survey has been conducted exclusively to enumerate women engaged in home-based and piece-rate textile work.

The Chapter IV of the Code of Social Security, 2020 (ESIC) apply on every establishment in which ten or more persons are employed other than a seasonal factory which provides coverage on ESI benefits.Further, the Ministry has taken a comprehensive approach—combining industrial development, cluster strengthening, skill upgrading, etc. to support textiles & traditional sector which includes improvement in women’s participation and productivity. The focus has been on quality employment, welfare, and market-linked empowerment –

• PM MITRA – The mega textile parks are designed to support high female participation in apparel and home textile units by developing creches, women’s hostels, skill centres, safe transport, CCTV, security and modern OHS facilities. It will create lakhs of new, safe formal-sector jobs for women
• Samarth – Women form the majority of beneficiaries in SAMARTH skill programmes—especially in garmenting, embroidery, knitwear, handicrafts, etc. Under Samarth scheme, 5.3 lakh beneficiaries have been successfully trained of which 88% beneficiaries are women.
• Handloom Sector- Flagship scheme for Raw material supply to Handloom weavers (includes women Handloom weavers); RMSS provides Transport subsidy (all types of yarns), 15% Price Subsidy and depot operating expenses. Further, eligible beneficiaries cover women handloom weavers by including individual weavers, Agencies in which weavers are members i.e. Self Help Groups (SHGs), Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) and Cooperative Societies, Handloom Producer Company, Weavers Entrepreneurs.Additionally, some of the special provisions provided are –
  • In partnership with Ministry of Textiles & Office of DC Handlooms, UN Women launched #Srijan, a series of workshops to nurture leadership & entrepreneurship among women artisans, set to reach 1,000 women weavers across India within a year, 1st workshop held at Varanasi on 18.10.2025
  • Women weavers receive 100% subsidy for construction of work sheds under National Handloom Development Programme. More than 73% beneficiaries under Small Cluster Development Programme are women.
  • Handloom Weaver MUDRA Portal developed with Punjab National Bank for centralized online claim disbursement, cutting down delays in financial assistance for margin money, interest subvention, and credit guarantee fee
  • Women Day slot at DilliHaat (1st-15th March 2026) and PanchLakhiya weaver didi slot (16th-31st August 2025) organised.
  • 30 women-led Producer Companies and 15 women-led startups across the country.
  • Kamladevi Chattopadhyay Award instituted since 2016 specifically for women weavers, with 14 awards conferred so far.

• Silk Sector -The sericulture industry provides employment to approximately 97.3 lakh persons, with 55-60% being women. Central Silk Board has developed women-friendly innovations to reduce drudgery and improve productivity viz., Automatic/motorised reeling and spinning machines with women-friendly operations, financial assistance under central schemes and promotion of women SHGs etc.

A formal framework to extend protections was initiated with the nationwide implementation of the Four Labour Codes. New Labour Codes aim to enhance welfare, maternity benefits, working hours, occupational safety and participation of women workers across sector including textile sector, where women form a substantial share of the workforce. Further, as per section 45 of the Code Social Security, 2020, the provision has also been made to extend benefits under the chapter IV of the ESIC to unorganized workers, gig workers and platform workers.

This information was provided by THE MINISTER FOR TEXTILES GIRIRAJ SINGH in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on 20^th March 2026.

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