Work of home makers will add value to GDP now

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The government is looking for methods for valuation of the contribution of home makers to GDP growth. This information may even be published in economic surveys.

To promote women’s empowerment, the government is working on finding ways to measure the contribution of women’s domestic work to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). For this, a survey is being considered to calculate the time spent by women on domestic duties. The government can publish this information in economic surveys.

The National Statistical Office (NSO) conducts Time Use Survey in the country, which shows how much time Indians spend on which tasks. Using this survey, the government is trying to find out how many hours are spent by Indian women doing housework. Once this information is available on a daily basis, the government will work out a way to measure the contribution of women’s domestic work to the GDP.

What is the estimate?

According to the SBI report, if domestic women are paid for their work, their contribution would be equal to 7.5 percent of GDP. The International Labour Organization (ILO) also released a similar report. This organization had also suggested paying domestic women for the work that they do. In India, the debate on this issue has also been going on for the last decade, but this plan has not yet come to fruition. According to the Time Survey of the year 2019, women spend an average of five hours a day on work for which they are not paid.

What would be the advantage?

At present, many companies pay their employees separately for their house help or driver’s salary etc. Tax exemption is available on this payment, which reduces the tax liability. If a husband pays his wife every month for domestic work, then that amount should also be exempted from tax. This will help women empowerment campaign of the government. Along with this, GDP growth will also increase if women’s earnings increase.