(a) whether the Government has proposed/proposes any specially
designed programme for Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to improve the
performance of Women Panchayat members through education, mass media
exposure, social participation and urban contacts; and
(b) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI V. KISHORE CHANDRA DEO)
(a) & (b): The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) has been implementing a
Centrally Sponsored Scheme Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan
(RGPSA) for strengthening Panchayats during the Twelfth Plan. This scheme
supports the States in Capacity Building & Training (CB&T) of Elected Women
Representatives (EWRs) and other elected representatives to enhance their
knowledge and skills to discharge their functions. The activities supported
under the CB&T component are: Training needs assessment, development of
training modules, development of training material including written material,
training films, CDs and other forms of material, training of master trainers,
face-to face training courses for ERs and Panchayat functionaries, satellite
based training for ERs and functionaries, exposure visit inside/ outside the
States, newsletters etc.