Lok Sabha Question No. 1122 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-08
Subject: Women Sarpanch
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: JAYADEV GALLA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1122

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 08/02/2018

## Women Sarpanch

## 1122. SHRI JAYADEV GALLA:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

- (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?

## ANSWER

## 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  73 rd 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.

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1122 to be answered on 08.02.2018

| S.No.   | State/ UT           | Women Sarpanches   |
|---------|---------------------|--------------------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh      | 6,584              |
| 2       | Andaman &Nicobar    | 24                 |
| 3       | Assam               | 1,093              |
| 4       | Bihar               | 3,772              |
| 5       | Chandigarh          | 4                  |
| 6       | Chhattisgarh        | 5,822              |
| 7       | Dadra &Nagar Haveli | 11                 |
| 8       | Daman &Diu          | 6                  |
| 9       | Goa                 | 73                 |
| 10      | Gujarat             | 4,676              |
| 11      | Haryana             | 2,565              |
| 12      | Himachal Pradesh    | 1,631              |
| 13      | Jharkhand           | 2,284              |
| 14      | Karnataka           | 3,050              |
| 15      | Kerala              | 471                |
| 16      | Lakshadweep         | 4                  |
| 17      | Madhya Pradesh      | 11,864             |
| 18      | Maharashtra         | 13,960             |
| 19      | Manipur             | 68                 |
| 20      | Odisha              | 3600               |
| 21      | Punjab              | 4,431              |
| 22      | Rajasthan           | 5341               |
| 23      | Sikkim              | 88                 |
| 24      | Tamil Nadu          | 4,289              |
| 25      | Telangana           | 4,602              |
| 26      | Tripura             | 285                |
| 27      | Uttar Pradesh       | 19,992             |
| 28      | Uttarakhand         | 4,007              |
| 29      | West Bengal         | 1,557              |
|         | Total               | 1,06,154           |