**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj organized a National Conference on the Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan, marking its first year. Key releases included a Compendium of Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats and 'Championing Change' stories, and the launch of the 'Nirbhay Raho' initiative. The conference aimed to strengthen women's leadership and safety in Panchayats, with a focus on capacity building and empowering women in grassroots democracy.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan & Women's Leadership**
* The Abhiyan aims to place women at the helm of grassroots democracy, recognizing over 14.5 lakh Women Elected Representatives as architects of governance.
* Initiatives by the Government, including the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, promote women's empowerment.
* Capacity-building efforts are underway to enhance the leadership, financial management, and governance capabilities of women representatives.
* Around 46% of elected representatives are women, indicating a growing role in local governance.
* The Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan provides large-scale training to equip elected representatives with skills for effective leadership and responsive governance.
**'Nirbhay Raho' Initiative**
* Launched under the Nirbhaya Fund, this initiative aims to strengthen women's safety and empowerment in Panchayats.
* It includes capacity building for 14.5 lakh Elected Women Representatives on legal rights and leadership.
* Sensitization of approximately 17.5 lakh Male Elected Representatives is planned to promote gender equality and accountability.
* CCTV cameras will be installed in strategic rural locations to enhance technology-enabled safety infrastructure in women-friendly Panchayats.
**Compendium and Felicitation**
* A Compendium of Best Practices of Model Women Friendly Gram Panchayats and Championing Change: Stories of Women Leading Grassroots Democracy in India was released.
* Outstanding Beacon Women Panchayat Leaders, one from each of 24 States and Union Territories, were felicitated for their contributions.
**Financial Support for Local Bodies**
* The Sixteenth Finance Commission has recommended ₹4,35,236 crores for Rural Local Bodies for 2026–31, a significant increase compared to ₹65,160 crore under the Thirteenth Finance Commission.
**Impact Analysis**
**Women Elected Representatives**
* **Impact:** Enhanced leadership, improved governance capabilities, increased safety, and greater empowerment in Panchayats.
* **Action Required:** Participate in training programs, utilize platforms like SabhaSaar, and contribute to gender equality in local planning and decision-making.
**Male Elected Representatives**
* **Impact:** Increased awareness and sensitization towards gender equality and women's rights, promoting a more supportive environment in Panchayats.
* **Action Required:** Engage in gender sensitization training and challenge patriarchal and gender-biased attitudes.
**Rural Women and Girls**
* **Impact:** Improved safety, enhanced participation in community life, education, and livelihoods due to strengthened women's leadership and safer Panchayat environments.
* **Action Required:** Benefit from improved governance and safety measures in Panchayats.
**Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)**
* **Impact:** Strengthened local governance, increased responsiveness, and improved service delivery through the integration of gender equality.
* **Action Required:** Implement initiatives like the 'Nirbhay Raho' program and support the development of women-friendly Panchayats.
**Government of India**
* **Impact:** Achievement of goals related to women's empowerment and strengthening grassroots democracy.
* **Action Required:** Continue supporting and implementing programs focused on women's leadership and safety in Panchayats.
Key Entities Referenced
Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan: An initiative focused on strengthening women's leadership at the grassroots and placing women at the helm of grassroots democracy.
'Nirbhay Raho' Initiative: An initiative launched under the Nirbhaya Fund to strengthen women's safety and empowerment in Panchayats.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj: The government ministry responsible for organizing the conference and implementing the initiatives mentioned.
Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh: Union Minister of Panchayati Raj and Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying, who addressed the conference.
Nirbhay Fund: The fund under which the 'Nirbhay Raho' initiative has been launched.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj
“Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan Places
Women at the Helm of Grassroots Democracy”:
Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh
‘Nirbhay Raho’ Initiative Launched to Strengthen Women’s
Safety in Panchayats
Compendium on Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats &
‘Championing Change’ Stories Released
Posted On: 11 MAR 2026 9:53PM by PIB Delhi
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj organized the National Conference of Women Elected
Representatives of Panchayats on Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan in New Delhi. Marking one year
of the start of the initiative, the conference was graced by Union Minister of Panchayati Raj and Fisheries
Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh and Union Minister of
State for Panchayati Raj, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel. Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of
Panchayati Raj along with other senior officials of the Government of India were also present on the
occasion.During the event, a Compendium of Best Practices of Model Women Friendly Gram Panchayats and
Championing Change: Stories of Women Leading Grassroots Democracy in India (based on the
Specialized Training Module for Women Elected Representatives) was released. Ministry’s Nirbhaya
Initiative – “Nirbhay Raho” under the Nirbhaya Fund was also launched to strengthen women’s
safety and empowerment in Panchayats. While Outstanding Beacon Women Panchayat Leaders, one each
from 24 States and Union Territories were felicitated for their exemplary contributions to rural
governance.
Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, in his address said that the Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan reflects a
national resolve to place women at the helm of grassroots democracy, noting that India’s over 14.5
lakh Women Elected Representatives are not just participants but architects of governance. He stated that
under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government has taken several initiatives
to promote women’s empowerment, including the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Shri Rajiv Ranjan
Singh urged women representatives to further enhance their leadership, financial management and
governance capabilities through training support provided to States and also referred to the use of the AI-
enabled SabhaSaar platform to support Panchayat functioning. He said that of the total, around 46% are
Women Elected Representatives, reflecting the deepening role of women in local governance in the
country. “The Government has significantly strengthened financial support to local bodies, with the
Sixteenth Finance Commission recommending ₹4,35,236 crores for Rural Local Bodies for 2026–31,
compared to a mere ₹65,160 crore under the Thirteenth Finance Commission”, Shri Singh said.Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, highlighted the growing role of women in shaping the future of rural
governance. He noted that constitutional provisions and reservations have enabled women to assume
leadership positions in Panchayati Raj Institutions, bringing new perspectives to grassroots
governance. Referring to capacity-building efforts under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, he said
large-scale training initiatives are equipping elected representatives, particularly women, with the skills
needed for effective leadership and responsive local governance. He emphasized that the leadership of
women Panchayat representatives reflects the true spirit of Nari Shakti and that empowering women at the
grassroots is key to building an equitable and self-reliant India.
Referring to the Union Cabinet’s decision of 10th March 2026 chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra
Modi, Shri Vivek Bharadwaj said that through the Jal Jeevan Mission, tap water access to rural
households has freed nearly 9 crore rural women from the daily burden of fetching water, its
transformative impact has enabled greater participation of women in education, livelihoods andcommunity life. He said that the initiatives such as Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats and
Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan are strengthening women’s leadership at the grassroots, with
over 7.18 lakh Women Elected Representatives trained during 2025–26 and 744 Model Women-
Friendly Gram Panchayats identified across 32 States/UTs, reflecting steady progress towards stronger
women-led local governance.
Ms. Andrea M. Wojnar, Country Representative, UNFPA India, highlighted that India’s Panchayati
Raj system has significantly advanced women’s political participation, with over 1.4 million elected
women representatives contributing to grassroots governance. She noted that initiatives such as Model
Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats are helping translate representation into responsive governance by
integrating gender equality into local planning and decision-making, and emphasized that strong women’s
leadership in Panchayats is vital for inclusive development and improved services for women and girls.
Dr. Pallavi Jain Govil, Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and
Smt. Meeta Rajivlochan, Secretary, National Commission for Backward Classes, chaired the panel
discussions during the event that was attended by over 700 participants, predominantly Women Elected
Representatives from all tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions across the country.
About “Nirbhay Raho”
“Nirbhay Raho” initiative under the Nirbhaya Fund has been launched to advance women’s safety and
empowerment in Panchayats. The initiative focuses on capacity building of 14.5 lakh Elected Women
Representatives on legal rights and leadership, sensitization of around 17.5 lakh Male Elected
Representatives to promote gender equality and accountability, and installation of CCTV cameras at
strategic rural locations to strengthen technology-enabled safety infrastructure in women-friendly
Panchayats.Compendium on Model Women Friendly Panchayats
Championing Change: Stories of Women Leading Grassroots Democracy in India (English)
Championing Change: Stories of Women Leading Grassroots Democracy in India (Hindi)
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Aditi Agrawal
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