Background & Context
A recent report by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) titled ‘Building a Green Economy for Viksit Bharat’ argues that India’s goal of a USD 30 trillion economy by 2047 is tethered to gender inclusion. Currently, India’s Green Economy is projected to create 48 million jobs by 2047, but women’s participation remains disproportionately low and non-technical.
Key Insights
- The Productivity Dividend: A 1% increase in gender diversity in formal manufacturing correlates with a 2.9% rise in labor productivity.
- Current Gaps: * Renewable Energy: Women make up 32% of the global RE workforce but only 11% in India’s rooftop solar sector, mostly in administrative roles.
- Circular Economy: 1.5 million women (49% of waste-pickers) are in waste collection but earn 33% less than men.
- Barriers: Lack of land titles (collateral) for green finance, safety concerns in field-based roles, and the "STEM gap."
Next Step for India: Transitioning from "women-adjacent" to "women-led" through policies like PM Surya Ghar (asset ownership) and gender-focused green certifications.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
