The findings of Oxfam India’s latest India Discrimination Report 2022 indicate that there is a significant gap in the earnings between men and women in the case of regular and self-employment in urban areas. The lower wages for salaried women are due to 67 percent of discrimination and 33 percent due to lack of education and work experience. The average earning is |16,000 for men and merely |6,600 for women in urban areas in self-employment. The average earning of men is |19,800 as against |15,600 for women in regular/salaried employment in urban areas. Also, in urban areas the average earnings of men (|9,000) are significantly higher than women (|5,700) even in casual employment.

Apart from women, historically oppressed communities along with religious minorities also continue to face discrimination in accessing jobs, livelihoods, and agricultural credit. The mean income for Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes (“SC/ST”) persons in urban areas who are in regular employment is |15,300 as against |20,300 for persons belonging to the non-SC/ST category. The average earning of self-employed workers is |15,900 for non-SC/STs and |10,500 for SC/STs. The average monthly earning for the SC/ST workers in casual work is |8,000 below the corresponding figure of |8,600 for the non-SC/ST.

[Data Source: Oxfam India]

[Note: Values have been approximated to the nearest hundred]

Choose the correct option (use figures from the Oxfam India note for urban areas):

The correct option is: Men’s average earning in urban areas in self-employment is nearly 2.5 times that of earnings of women

Let us analyze the given passage step-by-step and evaluate each option to find the correct statement based strictly on the provided Oxfam India report data for urban areas.

Step 1: Extract relevant data points for urban areas from the text

• Self-employment earnings: Average earning for men = ₹16,000; Average earning for women = ₹6,600.

• Regular/Salaried employment earnings: Average earning for men = ₹19,800; Average earning for women = ₹15,600.

• Casual employment earnings: Average earning for men = ₹9,000; Average earning for women = ₹5,700.

Step 2: Evaluate Option 1

"Women’s average earnings in urban areas in casual work is 30% lower than that of men"

Difference in casual work earnings = Men's earnings - Women's earnings

$9000-5700=3300$

Percentage lower =

$\left(\frac{3300}{9000}\right)\times 100\vdash 36.67\%$

Since 36.67% is not 30%, Option 1 is incorrect.

Step 3: Evaluate Option 2

"Men’s average earning in urban areas in self-employment is nearly 2.5 times that of earnings of women"

Ratio of Men's earnings to Women's earnings in self-employment =

$\frac{16000}{6600}\vdash 2.424$

2.424 is approximately equal to 2.5 times. Thus, Option 2 is correct.

Step 4: Evaluate Option 3

"In casual work, women earn more in rural areas than in urban areas"

The passage contains data exclusively for urban areas and provides no data regarding rural areas. Therefore, this statement cannot be verified or derived from the text.

Step 5: Evaluate Option 4

"The difference in earnings of men and women in regular/salaried employment in urban areas is | 3,500"

Difference in regular/salaried employment =

$19800-15600=4200$

The actual difference is ₹4,200, not ₹3,500. Thus, Option 4 is incorrect.

Conclusion:

The only correct statement supported by the data is that men’s average earning in self-employment in urban areas (₹16,000) is nearly 2.5 times women’s average earning (₹6,600).