Question : Representation of Women in Panchayati Raj System

(a) the present number of elected women representatives in Panchayati Raj Institutions and their percentage out of total elected representatives;
(b) whether the Government have assessed the effect of growing participation of women in those institutions on the basis of their socio-economic conditions and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government proposes to take measures to increase the participation of women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(d) the steps taken by the Government to improve rural India and strengthen the Panchayati Raj system and the schemes/programmes likely to be started for the same?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ
(SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a): As per the information available, details of Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and their percentage out of total elected representatives is given at Annexure-I.
(b) & (c): The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act creates space for rural women in grass root politics to increases 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 provisions for reservation of fifty per cent seats for women in Panchayats at all levels in their respective State Panchayati Raj Acts. Enhanced participation of women in PRIs is expected to result in empowerment of rural women in various aspects, including participation of women in Gram Sabhas, enhancement of self-esteem, confidence and decision making abilities and more attention to women related issues such as drinking water, sanitation and child-sex ratio, encouragement for girls'' enrolment in schools and mitigation of domestic violence etc. Besides, the issues concerning women and children including achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to women, sanitation and children are also more likely to get focused attention with the women taking over leadership at local levels.
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) issues advisories from time to time to State/ Union Territory (UT) Governments for the empowerment of rural women by ensuring their presence and participation in Panchayats. Besides, MoPR has also been focusing on the capacity building of Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) of Panchayats under its schemes.

(d): Many flagship programmes and centrally sponsored schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY- NRLM), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), UJJAWALA, SWADHAR, Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP) etc. implemented by different Ministries of the Government of India have contributed significantly in the upliftment of rural India.
The MoPR has taken several steps to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in the States and UTs through provisioning of financial and technical assistance for States/UTs for the capacity building of PRIs and through issue of advisories from time to time. Further, the restructured scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) as appraised by Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) for implementation from the financial year 2018-19, envisages assistance to States for strengthening the capacities of the Panchayati Raj Institutions with special focus on the 50,000 Gram Panchayats (GPs) covered by Mission Antyodaya and GPs falling in the areas of 115 Aspirational Districts identified by NITI Aayog.
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