Parliament Question: Women Pradhans in Panchayati Raj Institutions

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 7 forebmuN latoT & stayahcnaP egalliV tnelaviuqE tayahcnaP egalliV draobno & stayahcnaP egalliV htiW tnelaviuqE tnemyaP enilnO forebmuN latoT & stayahcnaP kcolB tnelaviuqE tayahcnaP kcolB draobno stayahcnaP kcolB tnemyaP enilnO htiW aliZforebmuN latoT & stayahcnaP tnelaviuqE tayahcnaP aliZ draobno htiW stayahcnaP aliZ tnemyaP enilnO 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.