Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj addresses concerns about proxy representation of women in Panchayats and efforts to enhance the capabilities of women Panchayat members. The Ministry has taken steps to address proxy representation, including issuing advisories and forming committees. Training programs and specialized modules are implemented to empower women in local governance.
Key Points / Main Content:
Proxy Representation Concerns and Actions:
* Complaints regarding proxy representation of Women Elected Representatives (WERs) are directed to the concerned States/Union Territories (UTs).
* The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has issued advisories to States/UTs to prevent interference by husbands of elected women representatives.
* An Advisory Committee was formed in September 2023 to examine the issue of male family members representing women Pradhans.
* The Advisory Committee's report, submitted in February 2025 and accepted by the Ministry, recommended measures by State Governments to eliminate proxy leadership.
* A Facilitation Committee was established on April 17, 2025, to oversee the implementation of the Advisory Committee's recommendations.
* The Ministry ensures women's active participation through the Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs), including Theme 9: Women Friendly Panchayats.
* Advisories have been issued to States to facilitate separate Ward Sabha and Mahila Sabha meetings before Gram Sabha meetings.
Capacity Building and Training Initiatives:
* The Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) is implemented from FY 2022-23 to capacitate Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) through training.
* 25,13,543 Women Panchayat Members have been trained from FY 2022-23 to FY 2025-26 (till July 24, 2025).
* Training covers various aspects of rural governance, service delivery, and leadership skills.
* A Specialised Training Module has been launched to build capacities of Women Panchayat Members in leadership, managerial, communication, and negotiation skills.
* The Ministry supports exposure visits for cross-State learning.
* A new initiative enhances capacities through institutes of excellence under the Leadership Management Development Program.
Impact Analysis:
State Governments/Union Territories:
* Impact: Expected to address complaints about proxy representations. Responsible for implementing measures to eliminate proxy leadership in PRIs, based on the Advisory Committee's recommendations.
* Action Required: Implement measures to eliminate proxy leadership in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
Women Elected Representatives (WERs):
* Impact: Beneficiaries of capacity building and training programs designed to enhance their governance and leadership skills. Should experience reduced interference in their duties.
* Action Required: Participate in available training programs and capacity building initiatives.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj:
* Impact: Responsible for overseeing the implementation of recommendations, facilitating training programs, and monitoring the progress of women's empowerment in Panchayats.
* Action Required: Continue implementing and overseeing the RGSA and other capacity-building initiatives; monitor and evaluate the impact of these programs.
Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs):
* Impact: Should become more effective and inclusive with enhanced participation and leadership from women representatives.
* Action Required: Support and facilitate the participation of Women Panchayat Members in decision-making and governance processes.
Key Entities Referenced
Panchayati Raj system: A system of local self-government in India at the village or small town level.
Constitution of India: The supreme law of India, which includes provisions related to Panchayats in its Seventh Schedule.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj: The Indian government ministry responsible for matters related to Panchayati Raj institutions.
Supreme Court: The highest judicial body in India, which directed the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to address the issue of proxy representation in Panchayats.
Advisory Committee: A committee constituted by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in September 2023 to examine the issue of women Pradhans being represented by male family members.
Facilitation Committee: A committee constituted by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj on 17th April 2025 to ensure the practical execution and oversee the implementation of the recommendations put forth by the Advisory Committee.
Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals LSDGs: Thematic approach of Ministry of Panchayati Raj including Theme 9 Women Friendly Panchayats which ensures women's active participation in grassroots governance.
Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan RGSA: A Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented by the Ministry to capacitate Panchayati Raj institutions through training, especially for women members.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRYOF PANCHAYATI RAJ
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO †1550
ANSWEREDON 29.07.2025
WOMEN REPRESENTATIVES IN PANCHAYATS
†1550.SHRIARUN GOVIL:
Will the Minister of PANCHAYATIRAJ be pleasedto state:
(a)Whether even after more than three decadesof implementation of the Panchayati
Raj system in the country, in many cases, elected women representatives are
replaced by their husbands, brothers or sons in official meetings or functions, due to
the inability of some women to understand or perform official duties, if so, the
reasons thereofandsteps takenbythe Government todiscourage such practices; and
(b) Whether the Government has any such plan to make women Panchayat
members capable of understanding and doing Government work by imparting them
special training?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FORPANCHAYATIRAJ
(PROF.S.P.SINGH BAGHEL)
(a) “Panchayat”, being “Local Government”, is a State subject and part of State List of
Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Panchayats are set up and operate through the
respective State Panchayati Raj Acts which may vary from State to State, subject to the
provisions of the Constitution. Accordingly, all matters relating to Panchayats, including
capacity buildingof WomenElected Representatives(WERs), fall within the purviewof State
Government.
1Complaints pertaining to proxy representations in Panchayats are addressed to the
States/Union Territories(UTs) concerned. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been made
aware of the issues of proxy representations for WERs in Panchayats through print and mass
media, legal notices, court cases, grievances and Public Interest Litigation (PIL). In this
regard, the Ministry has issued advisories to States/UTs for the prevention of unnecessary
interferencebythe husbands of elected women representativesintheirduties.
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 examine other
issues related thereto. The Committee has submitted the Report with recommendations to the
Ministry inFebruary2025,andthe same hasbeenacceptedby the Ministry.
The Advisory Committee recommended that the State Governments take necessary
measures to eliminate proxy leadership in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). Owing to the
importance of this matter and its impact on Women's self-dependent leadership in PRls, this
Ministry has also constituted a Facilitation Committee on 17th April 2025 to ensure the
practical execution and to oversee the implementation of the recommendations put forth by
the Advisory Committee onthe issuesof Women Pradhan.
Further, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj through its thematic approach of
Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) including Theme 9 – Women
Friendly Panchayats is ensuring women’s active participation in grassroots governance. The
Ministry of Panchayati Raj has also issued advisories to States to facilitate the holding of
separate WardSabha andMahila Sabhameetingsbefore Gram Sabhameetings.
(b) The Ministry has implemented Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Revamped Rashtriya
Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) w.e.f. Financial Year(FY) 2022-23 in States/ UTs with main
objective of capacitating Panchayati Raj institutions (PRIs) through imparting training to the
Elected Representatives (ERs), including Women Panchayat Members, functionaries and
other stakeholders to develop their governance capabilities for leadership roles and to
functioneffectively. Atotalof 25,13,543 WomenPanchayatMembers have beentrainedfrom
2FY 2022-23 to FY 2025-26 (till 24th July 2025). Increased capacity-building training in
different subject matters pertaining to Panchayats, service delivery mechanisms and
leadership skills has enhanced the capacities and capabilities of Women Panchayat Members
in undertaking their assigned work as ERs. Women Panchayat Members are trained on
different aspects of rural governance in multiple training programmes for effective delivery
of theirrolesandresponsibilities at the grassroots level.
Further, Ministry has launched comprehensive Specialised Training Module for
assisting the States/UTs for building capacities of Women Panchayat Members to strengthen
their leadership and managerial, communication and negotiation skills for effective delivery
of good governance. The focus of the training module is designed to address the key
challenges faced by the Women Panchayat Members in delivering their roles and
responsibilities; enhance their knowledge and skills on different aspects of governance and
equipthemtodrive local development.
Apart from these different trainings, the Ministry also supports exposure visits within
& outside the States for cross-State learning experiences,etc. In addition, a newinitiative has
been taken to enhance the capacities of including women elected representatives and
functionaries of Panchayats through institutes of excellence under the
Leadership/Management DevelopmentProgram.
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