Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): In a first-of-its-kind initiative among the States in India, Kerala is to set up ‘work stations’ as part of the ‘Work Near Home’ project, in order to bring skilled and educated women, who presently remain jobless owing to personal reasons, back to the State’s workforce.
The novel initiative, presented by the State Finance Minister Thomas Isaac during his budget speech here on Friday, is aimed at encouraging women to take up work and to reabsorb a large share of skilled and highly educated women who took career breaks for their own reasons and failed to rejoin later.
Through such initiatives, the Government aims at ensuring that educated, skilled women join the workforce and remain financially independent.
Work stations would be set by the State Government under the ‘Work Near Home project’ in the coming year.
The women’s labour participation in the State is as low as 28.5 per cent as against 73.5 for men. The Government’s intervention is expected to improve this scenario.
Statistics with the Government indicated that more than 5 lakh professional women have left their jobs and stay home. Through this initiative by the State, many of these women could be provided with ‘Work near their homes’ so that they need not compromise on their careers.
To facilitate this, ‘Work Stations’ would be established by the State in built-up spaces of 5000 sq ft, based in Block or Municipal centres. Rs 20 crores have been earmarked for this project in the State Budget which was tabled today.
Besides, a digital platform is also being readied by the State for employers to recruit job seekers. Professionals and trained or skilled workers can have themselves registered on the platform. Those who get employed through this platform would also be provided with ‘Across the Counter’ loans through Kerala Bank, Kerala State Financial Enterprises (KSFE) and Kerala Financial Corporation (KFC) to buy computers or other technology required for their work. These loans would have a 2-year repayment period. If a loanee loses the job during the repayment period, the loan can be paid back after getting placed elsewhere. The work stations set up by the Government can also be used by them at a nominal rent.
The State Government would also pay the Employer’s share of the contributions towards their Provident Fund. If they want do not want to contribute to the Provident Fund, the State would pay the Insurance share towards the Termination benefits when they leave the job.
It is estimated that this project would benefit more than 5 lakh professional women who lost their jobs for varied reasons and about 40 lakh educated young women.
Of the professionals in India, women constitute 27 per cent of the force. However, 48 per cent of these women quit work within 5 years. Sixty-five per cent of the rest also quit their work within ten years.
The government’s move is to provide short training for these professionals and to absorb them back into the workforce of the State.
Finance Minister has announced that as many as 20 lakh educated, unemployed people would be employed through the digital platform in the next 5 years. Kerala - Development Innovation Strategy Council (K - DISC) would be reestablished as a registered society. K -DISC has been allocated with Rs 200 crore in the budget.
About 75 per cent of the beneficiaries of this project would be women. The Government is mulling over entrusting Kudumbasree with the work of identifying talented, skilled, educated and professional women who now remain behind the doors and hesitate to rejoin the workforce.
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