[ Paper Id: 72529 ] Work and Poverty in Rural India: A Gender-Based Study Using Plfs Data (2017–2024)
This paper studies how rural work and poverty changed in India from 2017 to 2024. It uses official data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) and NITI Aayog to show what kind of jobs people had and how many families were poor. The main focus is on women. The data shows that more rural women started working during this period. Their labour force participation rose from 24.6 percent to 47.6 percent. At the same time, rural poverty went down. This change happened when public programs like MGNREGA and SHG-linked schemes supported poor households. These schemes gave women new ways to earn. But most of the new work for women is still informal, unpaid, or low-paid. Many women work at home or on family farms without getting regular income. This paper shows that having more women in the workforce is a good sign, but it is not enough. To reduce poverty and build a strong rural economy, women need better jobs, fair wages, and support for unpaid care work. Real progress comes when women’s work is valued and their efforts lead to better lives.