Role of Women in Local Government in Panchayat Raj Institutions: A Rhetoric or Reality

Abstract

In 21st century there are five pillars of development namely Women empowerment, Youth advancement, intervention of Digital technology, Gender equality and rising trend of Subalterns and Marginalised sections of society. Having setting the bearings of priorities, Women empowerment is the key domain in the Role of women in local government in Panchayati Raj Institutions which finds its prominent role in the sustainable development in society. There are 29 power point programmes have been entrusted in the Panchayat institutions in Haryana at three tier system. The 73rd amendment Act in Haryana Panchayati Raj System becomes a vehicle of social change and acts as The Harbinger of Women’s engendering the Panchayati Raj Institutions since its inception in 1994. The Haryana Panchayati Raj Act 1994 provides for reservation of one third of elected seats for Women at three levels i.e. Gram Panchayat (G.P.) Panchayat Smiti (P.S.) and Zila Prishad (Z.P.) There is also one third reservations for women to the seats of chairpersons of these PRIs. These women include general and scheduled castes. This act further provides for reservation of one third seats for Schedule castes women out of total seats reserved for schedule castes in proportion to S.C. population. The engendering Panchayati Raj Institutions in Haryana requires rigorous regimen of total overhauling of social structure per se. In fact, engendering Panchayati Raj Institution in Haryana is a euphemistic concept. The PRIs are in infantile stage and lack in all encompassing approach. Bluntly stating, women are still at a periphery of progress in the eyes of policy makers and decision takers.