Women, Participation and Development: A Case Study from Rural Punjab

Abstract

Even though a prosperous state, Punjab has been beset with social backwardness and handicaps like lowest sex ratio since 1921.  At present, it is 886 as against the national average of 935.  The workforce participation of women in Punjab is ranked as one of the lowest in the country and as one having the lowest proportion of female workers to the total workers.  Out of the total female workers, 21.6 per cent as agricultural labourers.  It is obvious that lopsided growth of the industrial and tertiary sector in the state has affected the occupational structure and the women.