'Women employees' strength in CPSEs should be raised to 15%'

The number of women employees in public sector units should be raised to 15 per cent of the PSU workforce, from 9.5 per cent at present, Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises Minister Anant Geete said today.
He was speaking at a Convention organised by Women in Public Sector, a body of women employees under the aegis of SCOPE.
The number of people working in the country's public sector enterprises declined in 2012-13, according to a government survey.
Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) employed 14.04 lakh people (including contractual workers) in 2012-13, compared to 14.5 lakh in 2011-12, a reduction of 3.28 per cent in total employee strength.

Besides, market regulator SEBI's corporate governance norms mandate that listed companies must appoint at least one woman director on their Boards by April 1.
SCOPE Director General U D Choubey highlighted the initiatives taken by public sector body which include Board approved policy for women development, providing welfare facilities, gender equality and decent work environment for women employees in public enterprises.