(a) number of women Sarpanch in the country, State-wise;
(b) whether any study or survey has been conducted to ascertain the upliftment of women in rural areas and if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the action plan chalked out by the Government for further empowerment of rural women?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ
(SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)
(a) As per information available, details of women sarpanches are given at Annexure.
(b) Many studies touching upon the various aspects of rural women including their upliftment and empowerment have been conducted by different organisations. A nationwide study on ‘Elected Women Representatives (EWR) in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)’ was commissioned by Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR). The study has observed that the reservations have provided opportunities to women to come up in the mainstream, provides them with a platform to interact, participate and enhance their image and played a significant role in getting substantial number of women representatives elected from the reserved seats. Reservation has facilitated the first entry into politics for most of the elected representatives.
(c) The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act is an institutional mechanism, which creates space for rural women in grass root politics, to increase their participation in decision making process by reserving not less than one-third seats for them at each tier of the Panchayat. Twenty States namely, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand and West Bengal have made provision for reservation of fifty per cent seats for women in Panchayats at all levels in the respective State Panchayati Raj Acts. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) issues advisories from time to time to State/ UT Governments for the empowerment of rural women by ensuring their presence and participation in Panchayats. Besides, MoPR has also been focussing on improving the capacity of Elected Women Representative of Panchayats under its schemes.
Many flagships programmes and centrally sponsored schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), UJJAWALA, SWADHAR, Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP) etc. are being implemented by different Ministries of the Government of India for women upliftment and empowerment. Besides, other Government schemes/programmes of rural development like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY- NRLM) etc. have contributed significantly in the upliftment of rural women. DAY – NRLM has been implemented across the country in a mission mode with the objective of organizing the rural poor women into Self Help Groups (SHGs), and continuously nurturing and supporting them to take up economic activities till they attain appreciable increase in incomes over a period of time to improve their quality of life and come out of abject poverty. The implementation of the programme, has started in 4429 blocks of 581 districts. During the year 2017-18, 5.87 lakh Self Help Groups have been promoted. A total amount of Rs. 412.15 crore was disbursed to 3.2 lakh SHGs as Revolving Fund (RF) and Rs. 650.48 crore to 1.3 lakh SHGs and their federation as Community Investment Fund (CIF). Moreover, MoPR has approved annual action plans for 25 States and one Union Territory for the capacity building of Panchayati Raj institutions including Elected Women representatives.