Lok Sabha Question No. 2136 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-15
Subject: Elected Women Representatives
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2136

ANSWERED ON 15.03.2022

## ELECTED WOMEN REPRESENTATIVES

## 2136. COL. RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

- (a) the  total  number  of  Elected  Women  Representatives  (EWR),  State-wise  including Rajasthan, district-wise since 2020;
- (b) the number of PRIs that are engaged with the centre digitally during the pandemic;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  any  data  on  the  number  of  EWRs  who  own  internet powered smartphones to engage with administrative setups, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government conducts capacity building and training programs for EWRs, if so, the numbers of such programs, State-wise and district-wise; and
- (e) the details of steps taken to increase women participation at panchayati raj level and facilitate their participation by awareness campaigns?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL)

- (a) A  statement  showing  State/UT-wise  number  of  Elected  Women  Representatives (EWR) in Panchayati Raj Institutions, including State of Rajasthan, is placed at Annexure-I . District-wise details of EWR are not maintained centrally.
- (b) During  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  in  close  cooperation  with  the  Central  and  State Governments, Panchayats implemented a series of preventive and protective measures, such as setting up isolation centres, developing publicity materials and spreading awareness initiatives, ensuring sanitation by spraying disinfectants,  appointing village volunteers for COVID disease management, enforcing social distancing, organizing medical camps, tracking the movement of people coming from outside areas and ensuring their stay at isolation centers for a stipulated period, running door-to-door awareness campaigns, hand washing campaigns, participation of Self Help Groups in making masks, relief to migrant workers and MGNREGA work to provide local employment etc.
- (c) Data, in this regard, is not maintained centrally.
- (d) The  Ministry,  under  the  ongoing  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  Rashtriya  Gram Swaraj  Abhiyan,  has  been  providing  financial  support  to  States/UTs  for  various  activities relating to Capacity Building and Training of Elected Representatives, functionaries and other

stakeholders  including  EWRs. A statement  showing  State/UT-wise  number  of participants, including EWRs, trained under the scheme since 2018-19 to 2021-22 (as on January, 2022) is placed at Annexure-II .

(e) 'Panchayat', being 'Local Government', is a State subject and part of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Accordingly, all Panchayat related matters, including representation of women in Panchayat systems, are governed by the respective State Panchayati Raj Acts and rules,  subject  to  the  provisions  of  the  Constitution.  However,  Government  has  been encouraging increased involvement of women in the functioning of Panchayats through active participation in the Gram Sabha meetings for preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plans and various schemes being implemented by the Panchayats. This Ministry has also issued advisories to the States to facilitate holding of separate Ward Sabha and Mahila Sabha meetings prior to Gram Sabha meetings, enhancing the presence and participation of women in Gram Sabha and Panchayat meetings, allocation of Panchayat funds for women centric activities, combating the evil of women trafficking, female foeticide, child marriage etc.

## \_\_\_\_\_

## Annexure-I

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2136 answered on 15.03.2022.

## State/UT-wise number of Elected Women Representatives  (EWRs) in Panchayati Raj Institutions

| S. No.   | State / UT               | Number of EWRs in Panchayati Raj Institutions   |
|----------|--------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 1.       | Andaman &Nicobar Islands | 306                                             |
| 2.       | Andhra Pradesh           | 78025                                           |
| 3.       | Arunachal Pradesh        | 3658                                            |
| 4.       | Assam                    | 14609                                           |
| 5.       | Bihar                    | 71046                                           |
| 6.       | Chhattisgarh             | 93392                                           |
| 7.       | Dadra &Nagar Haveli      | 47                                              |
| 8.       | Daman &Diu               | 92                                              |
| 9.       | Goa                      | 571                                             |
| 10.      | Gujarat                  | 71988                                           |
| 11.      | Haryana                  | 29499                                           |
| 12.      | Himachal Pradesh         | 14398                                           |
| 13.      | Jammu &Kashmir           | 13224                                           |
| 14.      | Jharkhand                | 30757                                           |
| 15.      | Karnataka                | 51030                                           |
| 16.      | Kerala                   | 9630                                            |
| 17.      | Ladakh                   | 515                                             |
| 18.      | Lakshadweep              | 41                                              |
| 19.      | Madhya Pradesh           | 196490                                          |
| 20.      | Maharashtra              | 128677                                          |
| 21.      | Manipur                  | 880                                             |
| 22.      | Odisha                   | 56627                                           |
| 23.      | Puducherry*              | -                                               |
| 24.      | Punjab                   | 41922                                           |
| 25.      | Rajasthan                | 64802                                           |
| 26.      | Sikkim                   | 580                                             |
| 27.      | Tamil Nadu               | 56407                                           |
| 28.      | Telangana                | 52096                                           |
| 29.      | Tripura                  | 3006                                            |
| 30.      | Uttar Pradesh            | 304538                                          |
| 31.      | Uttarakhand              | 35177                                           |
| 32.      | West Bengal              | 30458                                           |
| Total    | Total                    | 1454488                                         |

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2136 answered on 15.03.2022.

State/UT-wise number of participants, including EWRs, trained under Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan

| Sl. No   | State/UT                 | 2018-19   | 2019-20   | 2020-21   | 2021-22*   |
|----------|--------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|------------|
| 1        | Andaman &Nicobar Islands | 343       | 509       | -         | 553        |
| 2        | Andhra Pradesh           | 380224    | 600866    | 483233    | 155089     |
| 3        | Arunachal Pradesh        | 1785      | 9636      | -         | -          |
| 4        | Assam                    | 322528    | 209737    | 114159    | 113700     |
| 5        | Bihar                    | -         | 30223     | 34871     | 24352      |
| 6        | Chhattisgarh             | 292025    | 129543    | 39843     | 42115      |
| 7        | Dadra and Nagar Haveli   | 42        | 43        | -         | 223        |
| 8        | Daman and Diu            | 14        | 18        | -         |            |
| 9        | Goa                      | 1704      | 3089      | -         | 3249       |
| 10       | Gujarat                  | 543094    | 22159     | -         | 10455      |
| 11       | Haryana                  | 35293     | -         | 3334      | 4490       |
| 12       | Himachal Pradesh         | 7303      | 3852      | 518       | 18387      |
| 13       | Jammu &Kashmir           | 102540    | 34256     | 11950     | 80000      |
| 14       | Jharkhand                | 11221     | -         | -         | 25260      |
| 15       | Karnataka                | 301375    | 304477    | 296546    | 246328     |
| 16       | Kerala                   | 109057    | 107216    | -         | 140390     |
| 17       | Ladakh                   | -         | -         | -         | 4898       |
| 18       | Lakshadweep              | -         | -         | -         | -          |
| 19       | Madhya Pradesh           | 540573    | 480984    | 961367    | 334724     |
| 20       | Maharashtra              | 80703     | 711268    | 116315    | 632686     |
| 21       | Manipur                  | 20204     | 582       | 8338      | 232        |
| 22       | Odisha                   | 36851     | 65500     | 37784     | 27077      |
| 23       | Puducherry               | -         | -         | -         | -          |
| 24       | Punjab                   | 77112     | -         | 28094     | 45940      |
| 25       | Rajasthan                | 122077    | 570       | -         | 3164       |
| 26       | Sikkim                   | 15166     | 6910      | 15166     | 335        |
| 27       | Tamil Nadu               | 391621    | 160399    | 628125    | 130329     |
| 28       | Telangana                | 169078    | 14016     | 1039      | 3889       |
| 29       | Tripura                  | 15910     | 10399     | 6794      | 6708       |
| 30       | Uttarakhand              | 38839     | 2226      | 20335     | 140        |
| 31       | Uttar Pradesh            | 251796    | 16648     | 71835     | 116042     |
| 32       | West Bengal              | 412064    | 453766    | 448226    | 378110     |
|          | Total                    | 4280542   | 3378892   | 3327872   | 2548865    |