Lok Sabha Question No. 1588 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-09
Subject: Law to Strengthen PESA  Act
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Shri Giridhari Yadav, Shri Dinesh Chandra Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.-1588

ANSWERED ON- 09.12.2025

## LAWTOSTRENGTHEN PESAACT

## †1588. SHRI DINESH CHANDRA YADAV: SHRI GIRIDHARI YADAV:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government proposes to amend the law to strengthen the Provision of Panchayats Extention to the Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government proposes to establish a stronger grievance under in redressal mechanism in the PESA Act, if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government proposes to ensure women's participation in Gram Sabhas and Panchayats under the PESA Act; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

## THE MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## (SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH)

(a) and (b) No, sir. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has no proposal to amend the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) or to establish a grievance redressal mechanism under this Act.

(c) and (d) To ensure women's participation in Gram Sabhas and Panchayats provisions have been provided in Part-IX of the Constitution of India. Article 243D of the Constitution provides not less than one-third reservation for women out of 'total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every Panchayat' and 'total number of offices of Chairpersons in the Panchayats at each level'. These provisions of Part-IX are also applicable to Gram Sabhas and Panchayats under PESA Act. 21 States and 2 Union Territories have gone even further than one-third reservation and have made provisions of 50% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions in their respective State Panchayati Raj Acts/Rules. These 21 States includes all the 10 PESA States namely Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana.

Further, to strengthen the leadership & managerial skills for effective delivery of good governance and capacity building of the Elected Representatives including Women

## ANSWER

Elected Representatives, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has implemented the Revamped Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) from 01.04.2022 to 31.03.2026 (co-terminus with XV Finance Commission period). This Ministry has launched a comprehensive Training Module for assisting the States/Union Territories for the Capacity Building of the Elected Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions under RGSA Scheme.

As per data available on the Training Management Portal of the Ministry, in all the 10 PESA States, total 41,565 participants have been trained in 2025-26 (as on 25 th November, 2025), out of which 18,374 are women participants.

This Ministry has issued advisories mandating to conduct Mahila Sabha prior to Gram Sabha which is a great impetus towards increasing and active participation of women in the decision-making process at the grassroots level for Women Led Governance. Advisories have also been issued to States for enhancing the presence and participation of women in Gram Sabha and Panchayat meetings, allocation of Panchayat funds for womencentric activities.

***