Lok Sabha Question No. 382 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-04
Subject: Women Representatives in PRI
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Diya Kumari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-382

ANSWERED ON-04.02.2020

## WOMEN REPRESENTATIVES IN PRI

382. MS. DIYA KUMARI:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of women elected as representatives in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI), State/UT-wise;
- (b) whether the participation of women under PRI is increasing and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the strategy adopted by the Government to improve women's socio-economic condition enhancing their participation in PRI?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) A statement showing number of women elected as representatives, State/UT-wise is given at Annexure I .
- (b) Article 243D of the Constitution ensures participation of women in PRIs by mandating not less than one-third reservation for women out of total number of seats to be filled by direct election and number of offices of chairpersons of Panchayats. As per the information available with the Ministry, 20 States such as Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha,  Punjab,  Rajasthan,  Sikkim,  Tamil  Nadu,  Telangana,  Tripura,  Uttarakhand  and West Bengal,  have  made provisions of 50% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in their respective State Panchayati Raj Act. A statement showing the number of Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) in PRIs from year 2015 is attached as Annexure II .
- (c) Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been implementing scheme for the capacity building of Panchayat Stakeholders including Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) of Panchayats. The Government on 24/04/2018, on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj

Day  launched  the  restructured  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  (CSS)  of  Rashtriya  Gram Swaraj  Abhiyan  (RGSA)  for  implementation  from  01.04.2018  to  31.03.2022  with  the primary  aim  of  strengthening  Panchayati  Raj  Institutions  (PRIs)  by  way  of  capacity building and training (CB&T) for their Elected Representatives (ERs), including EWRs, for  achieving  Sustainable  Development  Goals  (SDGs)  with  the  priority  to  aspirational districts  and  cluster  under  Mission  Antodaya.  The  scheme  has  programmatic  focus  for basic orientation training within six months and refresher training within two years of ERs including  EWRs.  RGSA  also  focuses  on  Self  Help  Group  (SHG)-PRI  convergence  to ensure effective community mobilisation and greater women participation in social and economic activities. Under the scheme funds are provided to States/UTs on the basis of Annual Action Plan (AAP) containing various activities for strengthening of panchayats including CB&T to ERs /EWRs as approved by Central Empowered Committee of RGSA.

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## Annexure I

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 382 answered on 04.02.2020 regarding 'Women Representatives in PRI'

| S. No.   | States / UTs             | Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) (as per latest information received from States/UTs)   |
|----------|--------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1        | Andaman &Nicobar Islands | 306                                                                                         |
| 2        | Andhra Pradesh           | 78,025                                                                                      |
| 3        | Arunachal Pradesh        | 3,658                                                                                       |
| 4        | Assam                    | 13,996                                                                                      |
| 5        | Bihar                    | 71,046                                                                                      |
| 6        | Chhattisgarh             | 93,392                                                                                      |
| 7        | Dadra and Nagar Haveli   | 47                                                                                          |
| 8        | Daman &Diu               | 92                                                                                          |
| 9        | Goa                      | 571                                                                                         |
| 10       | Gujarat                  | 71,492                                                                                      |
| 11       | Haryana                  | 29,499                                                                                      |
| 12       | Himachal Pradesh         | 14,398                                                                                      |
| 13       | Jammu &Kashmir           | 7,838                                                                                       |
| 14       | Jharkhand                | 34,164                                                                                      |
| 15       | Karnataka                | 51,030                                                                                      |
| 16       | Kerala                   | 9,630                                                                                       |
| 17       | Lakshadweep              | 41                                                                                          |
| 18       | Madhya Pradesh           | 1,96,490                                                                                    |
| 19       | Maharashtra              | 1,28,677                                                                                    |
| 20       | Manipur                  | 880                                                                                         |
| 21       | Odisha                   | 56,627                                                                                      |
| 22       | Punjab                   | 43,500                                                                                      |
| 23       | Rajasthan                | 70,802                                                                                      |
| 24       | Sikkim                   | 580                                                                                         |
| 25       | Tamil Nadu               | 39,975                                                                                      |
| 26       | Telangana                | 52,096                                                                                      |
| 27       | Tripura                  | 3,006                                                                                       |
| 28       | Uttar Pradesh            | 2,72,733                                                                                    |
| 29       | Uttarakhand              | 35,177                                                                                      |
| 30       | West Bengal              | 30,458                                                                                      |
|          | Total                    | 14,10,226                                                                                   |

## Annexure II

Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 382 answered on 04.02.2020 regarding 'Women Representatives in PRI'

| Date       | Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) (as per the information received from States/UTs)   |
|------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 17.12.2015 | 13,41,773                                                                                |
| 23.03.2017 | 14,39,436                                                                                |
| 05.04.2018 | 13,67,652                                                                                |
| 04.02.2019 | 13,67,639                                                                                |
| 29.01.2020 | 14,10,226                                                                                |