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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRYOF PANCHAYATIRAJ
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 5227
ANSWEREDON- 24.03.2026
WOMEN PRADHANS INPANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS
5227.SHRICAPTAIN BRIJESH CHOWTA:
SHRITANGELLAUDAYSRINIVAS:
SHRIANURAG SINGH THAKUR:
Will the Minister of PANCHAYATIRAJ be pleased to state:
(a) the key findings and actionable recommendations of the Advisory Committee constituted
bythe Ministry onissues concerningwomen pradhans;
(b) the initiatives and solutions being implemented by the Ministry to address the Pradhan-
pati phenomenon and to promote genuine empowerment, accountability and effective
participationof women in reserved seats;
(c) whether certain States have experienced delays in conducting timely Panchayat elections
as mandated under Article 243E, guidelines issued by Ministry to facilitate compliance in
such cases, State-wise including HimachalPradesh;
(d) if so, the details of utilisation and progress of the e-Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Nirnay
platforms for scheduling and managing Gram Sabha meetings in the States, State/UTs-wise;
and
(e) the number of elected representatives, panchayat functionaries trained under the
Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan since 2022-23, State and district-wise including
Dakshina Kannada?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ
(SHRIRAJIVRANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH)
(a) and (b) “Panchayat”, being “Local Government”, is a State subject and part of the State
List of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. Therefore, any matters related to
address the Pradhan-pati phenomenon and to promote genuine empowerment, accountability
participationof women in reserved seats liesinthe domainof the State.
On the direction of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj
constituted an Advisory Committee in September 2023 to examine the issue of Women
Pradhans being represented by the male members of their families and also to examine other
issues related to proxy practices. The Committee has submitted its Report with
recommendations to the Ministry in February 2025, and the same has been accepted by the
1Ministry.
The Advisory Committee recommended that the State Governments take necessary
measures, including legalsafeguards, capacity-building, women ombudspersons, public oath-
taking, mentorship by women leaders,social audits and penal provisionsto eliminate proxy
leadership inPanchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and ensure realempowerment, autonomyand
accountabilityof elected women representatives.
This Ministry has implemented the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Revamped Rashtriya
Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) w.e.f. FY 2022-23 in States/ UTs with main objective of
capacitating PRIs through imparting training to the Elected Representatives, including
Women Elected Representatives, functionaries and other stakeholders to develop their
governance capabilities for leadership roles and to function effectively. A total of 30,94,748
Women Elected Representatives were trained from FY 2022-23 to FY 2025-26 (as on 28th
February 2026) under this scheme. Further, to strengthen the Women-Led Initiatives, the
Ministry haslaunched a comprehensive Specialized Training Module “Championing Change
-Empowering Women Leaders in Local Governance and Beyond” as a part of “Shashkta
Panchayat Netri Abhiyan” Campaign for the capacity building of Women Elected
Representatives of Panchayati Raj System. The focus of the training module is to build the
capacity of the Women Elected Representatives on different aspects of rural governance;
enhance the knowledge & practical skills for effective delivery of their roles &
responsibilities as electedrepresentatives, and also todevelopthe leadership, communication,
managerial, & decision makingskills for fostering women-ledgovernance.Atotalof 1,05,966
WomenElectedRepresentatives (ason28thFebruary2026) have beentrained onthisspecial
module.
Article 243D of the Constitution of India provides not less than one-third reservation for
womeninPRIsoutof ‘totalnumberofseats tobefilledbydirectelectionineveryPanchayat’
and ‘total number of offices of Chairpersons in the Panchayats at each level’. However, 21
States namely, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal
Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand and West Bengal and 2
Union Territories namely, Lakshadweep and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, have
gone even further and have made provisions of upto 50% reservation for women in
Panchayati Raj Institutions in their respective State Panchayati Raj Acts/Rulesencouraging
increasedparticipation ingrassroots governance.
(c) The details of the States and Union Territories, where Panchayat elections were
delayed, including Himachal Pradesh is placed at Annexure I. This Ministry, from time to
time,issuesadvisoriestotheStatesandUnionTerritoriesforconductingelections.
(d) The Ministry is implementing the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP)
under RGSA, which has significantly enhanced transparency, efficiency, and governance at
the grassroots level. The eGramSwaraj application, developed as part of the e-Panchayat
MMP, has facilitated digital planning, accounting, monitoring, and online payments at the
Panchayat level. The integration of eGramSwaraj with the Public Financial Management
System (PFMS) enables real-time payments to vendors and service providers, ensuring
seamless fund flow and reducing delays. During Financial Year 2025–26, 2,55,254 Gram
Panchayats across the country, uploaded their Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs).
During the same period, Panchayati Raj Institutions made payments amounting to ₹53,342
2crore through the eGramSwaraj–PFMS interface. The State-wise adoption status of
eGramSwaraj,for the 15thFinanceCommission isprovidedinthe Annexure II.
Further, applications developed by the Ministry like Meri Panchayat have endeavoured
tobring transparency in PanchayatGovernance bymakinginformationon planning, activities
and progress of works in Panchayat accessible to public. Similarly, Panchayat NIRNAYis an
online application aims at bringing transparency and better management in conduct of Gram
Sabhas by Panchayats. As per the information available on Panchayat NIRNAY Portal
(https://meetingonline.gov.in/), over 2.57 lakh Gram Panchayats have scheduled the Gram
Sabha using this portal. All the 28 States and 6 Union Territories are utilising the application
toconductGram Sabhameetings.
(e) State-wise and District-wise details of number of elected representatives,
panchayat functionaries trained under the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan since
2022-23, including Dakshina Kannada district of the State of Karnataka, is available on the
Ministry’swebsite of Traniang Management Portalat https://trainingonline.gov.in/.
****
3Annexure -I
Annexure referredtoinreplytopart (c)of LokSabhaUnstarred Question No. 5227 answered
on24.03.2026on “WomenPradhansinPanchayati Raj Institutions”
Details of StatesandUnionTerritories (UTs) wherePanchayatelections weredelayed
Sl.No Name of OriginalDue Last Election Remarks
State/UT Date Date
1 Gujarat Gram Panchayat:Gram Panchayat:Elections in the
March, 2023 February, 2018 selected Gram
(121 out ofPanchayat, Block
14805) Panchayat and
Block Panchayat: District Panchayat
March, 2023 Block Panchayat:isdue since 2023.
February, 2018
(4out of 238)
District
Panchayat: District
March, 2023 Panchayat:
February, 2018
(2out of 31)
2 Himachal PradeshGram Panchayat:Gram Panchayat:All these
January, 2026 January, 2021 Panchayats
belong to non-
tribal areas.
Block Panchayat:Block Panchayat:Elections in these
January, 2026 January, 2021 Panchayats are
due since January
2026.
District District
Panchayat: Panchayat:
January, 2026 January, 2021
3 Karnataka Gram Panchayat:Gram Panchayat:Election in Gram
December,2025 December, 2020 Panchayatis due
since December
Block Panchayat:Block Panchayat:2025.
February, 2021 February, 2016
Whereas, for
District District Block Panchayat
Panchayat: Panchayat: and District
February, 2021 February, 2016 Panchayat,
election is due
since 2021.
4 Maharashtra Block Panchayat:Block Panchayat:Election in Block
January/February, January/February, Panchayat and
2022 2017 District Panchayat
isdue since 2022.
District District
Panchayat: Panchayat:
January/February, January/February,
42022 2017
5 Manipur Gram Panchayat:Gram Panchayat:Election in Gram
October, 2022 October, 2017 Panchayatand
District Panchayat
Block Panchayat:Block Panchayat:isdue since 2022.
Not Applicable Not Applicable
The provision of
District District Panchayat Samiti
Panchayat: Panchayat: (BlockPanchayat)
October, 2022 October, 2017 was inserted in
the Manipur
Panchayati Raj
Act, 1994vide 8th
Amendment Act,
2023, notified in
Gazette on 22nd
February, 2023.
6 Rajasthan Gram Panchayat:Gram Panchayat:Election in Gram
January 2025 January, 2020 Panchayat, Block
(6759 out ofPanchayatand
Gram Panchayat:11320) District
March, 2025 Panchayatis due
Gram Panchayat:since2025.
March, 2020
Gram Panchayat:(704out of 11320)
September-Octob
er, 2025 Gram Panchayat:
Sept.-Oct., 2020
(3847 out of
11320)
BlockPanchayat: BlockPanchayat:
November - November -
December, 2025 December, 2020
(222out of 352)
DP: November -DP: November -
December, 2025 December, 2020
(21out of 33)
7 Tamil Nadu January 2025 December, 2019 Election in all
Panchayats of 28
(For all Districts is due
Panchayats of 28 since January
Districts out of 37 2025.
Districts)
Tenure of all
Panchayats of
5reaming 9
Districts is till
October, 2026.
8 Telangana Block Panchayat:Block Panchayat:Election inBlock
July, 2024 May, 2019 Panchayatand
District District District Panchayat
Panchayat: July,Panchayat: May,isdue since July
2024 2019 2024.
UnionTerritories
Jammu and Gram Gram Panchayat:Election in Gram
Kashmir Panchayat:Januar Nov-Dec, 2018 Panchayatand
y, 2024 Block Panchayat
Block is due since
Block Panchayat:Panchayat:OctobeJanuary 2024.
January, 2024 r - November,Tenure of District
9
2019 Panchayat ended
District inFebruary 2026.
Panchayat: District
February2026 Panchayat: Panchayat
Novermber –Election not held
December, 2020 yet.
Ladakh Gram Panchayat:Gram Panchayat:Election in Gram
Not Available Not Available Panchayat, Block
Block Panchayat:Block Panchayat:Panchayat and
10 Not Available Not Available District Panchayat
District District is due since
Panchayat: NotPanchayat: NotJanuary 2024.
Available Available
Lakshadweep Gram Panchayat:Gram Panchayat:Election in Gram
December, 2022 December, 2017 Panchayatand
District Panchayat
Block Panchayat:Block Panchayat:is due since
11 Not Applicable Not Applicable December2022.
District District
Panchayat: Panchayat:
December, 2022 December, 2017
Puducherry Gram Panchayat:Gram Panchayat:Election in Gram
July, 2011 June, 2006 Panchayatand
Block Panchayat
Block Panchayat:Block Panchayat:is due since July
12 July, 2011 June, 2006 2011.
District District
Panchayat: NotPanchayat: Not
Applicable Applicable
Source:Data as available on the website of the States/UTs or as provided by them to the
Ministry of PanchayatiRaj
6Annexure -II
Annexure referred to in reply to part (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5227
answered on 24.03.2026on “WomenPradhansinPanchayati Raj Institutions”
State-wise adoptionstatusof eGramSwarajfor the15th FinanceCommission forFY
2025-26
S.No State Name
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1 Andhra Pradesh 13327 13320 13025 660 660 649 13 13 13
2 Arunachal Pradesh 2108 2108 1486 0 0 0 27 26 22
3 Assam 2663 2186 2075 182 182 179 30 29 27
4 Bihar 8054 8054 8047 534 534 529 38 38 38
5 Chhattisgarh 11692 11687 11313 146 146 146 33 33 27
6 Goa 191 191 116 0 0 0 2 2 2
7 Gujarat 14619 14596 13800 248 248 248 33 33 33
8 Haryana 6227 6227 6010 143 143 141 22 22 22
9 HimachalPradesh 3615 3615 3562 92 81 81 12 12 12
10 Jharkhand 4345 4345 4252 264 264 262 24 24 24
11 Karnataka 5949 5949 5938 238 232 93 31 31 23
12 Kerala 941 941 937 152 152 152 14 14 14
13 Madhya Pradesh 23011 23011 22194 313 313 309 52 52 52
14 Maharashtra 28002 27934 26438 351 351 265 34 34 33
15 Manipur 3175 161 113 0 0 0 12 6 4
16 Meghalaya 6884 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 3
17 Mizoram 855 841 817 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 Nagaland 1312 984 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
19 Odisha 6794 6794 6785 314 314 313 30 30 30
20 Punjab 13236 13233 12341 155 152 150 23 23 22
21 Rajasthan 13128 11184 10774 361 353 351 37 33 33
22 Sikkim 199 199 196 0 0 0 6 6 6
23 Tamil Nadu 12482 12482 12437 388 388 388 36 36 36
24 Telangana 12760 12674 9570 565 547 400 32 32 27
25 Tripura 1194 1194 1192 75 75 75 9 9 9
26 Uttarakhand 7817 7790 6926 95 95 94 13 13 13
27 Uttar Pradesh 57695 57693 57579 826 826 820 75 75 74
28 West Bengal 3339 3339 3337 345 345 345 22 21 21
265614 25273 24126 6447 6401 5990 663 65 620
Total
2 0 0
Source: e-Gramswaraj portal of the Ministry of PanchayatiRaj.