How do Indians Split their Time for Different Activities? A Gender wise Analysis of Rural-Urban Differences using Time Use Surveys

Abstract

Time use surveys have been used widely to know how economic agents spend their time effectively to participate in different economic and non-economic activities. This paper sets out to discuss the urban/rural difference in respect of the time spent for different activities by both men and women in India. The paper reveals that men spend more time for employment and related activities while women spend more time for unpaid domestic service for household members. The paper finds hardly any serious region wise gender difference in respect of the average time spent for different activities in both rural and urban areas in India. This work takes note of the fact that works being done by the female at their homes go unidentified and demonetized, putting them in a disastrously disadvantages condition, which by any count would impoverish and stand in the way of their further empowerment. Gender inequality has also been observed in the time spent for employment and related activities. The paper looks into an important gender disparity in respect of the percentage of persons engaged in the production of goods for own final use.