Archive · 10 Jan 2026
Telangana Women's Workforce Growth Amid Wage Gaps
In Telangana, more women are joining the workforce, especially in cities.
However, women still earn much less than men, especially in jobs like garment factories and retail.
In some places, women earn only 60 to 70 percent of what men earn for the same work.
This is because women often have fewer opportunities to advance in their jobs and may leave work to take care of their families.
The government has set a minimum wage, but many women still earn much less than this.
Workers say that despite working hard, women are paid less than men for the same jobs.
The government has not responded to questions about why this is happening and how they plan to fix it.
Women's workforce participation in Telangana has increased significantly, with urban female LFPR at 50-51% and rural at 25-26%.
The overall female workforce participation rate (WPR) has nearly doubled from 22% in 2017 to 40.3% in 2024.
Women in Hyderabad earn 30 to 40% less than men on average, with the wage gap varying by sector.
In the informal sector, women earn 20 to 60% less than men for similar work, often making as little as Rs 5,000 a month.
The wage gap persists due to overrepresentation in lower-level roles, limited leadership opportunities, and mid-career dropouts driven by work-family pressures.
- Who
- Women in Telangana, particularly in the informal sector
- What
- Increasing workforce participation but significant wage inequality
- When
- Data from 2023-2024
- Where
- Telangana, India, with a focus on Hyderabad
- Why
- Overrepresentation in lower-level roles, limited leadership opportunities, and work-family pressures
- Urban Female LFPR
- 50-51%
- Rural Female LFPR
- 25-26%
- Overall Female WPR (2024)
- 40.3%
- Overall LFPR (2023-24)
- 60%
- Average Wage Gap (Hyderabad)
- 30-40%
- Informal Sector Wage Gap
- 20-60%
- Minimum Wage (Telangana)
- Rs 12,000
- Average Female Monthly Wage (Informal Sector)
- Rs 5,000