Panchayati Raj Institutions and Women’s Empowerment:

in the context of 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act

Dr. Geeta Ojha· & Neha Mansi· ·

ABSTRACT
In the words of Nehru “If our independence is to reflect the people’s voice, the greater
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the power of the Panchayats, the better for the people......” To provide power to the
people and ensure people’s participation in decision-making process is the rationale of a
decentralized Government. Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) are prime means of
decentralization at grass root level. There are three obvious reasons behind the importance
of Panchayati Raj Institutions. Firstly, to prevent the pressure of relentless population,
secondly, the necessity of maximum utilization of available resources for the development
and thirdly. To promote people’s active participation in the process of development. In
fact Panchayati Raj Institutions are the base of rural development in all its dimensions.
Women’s empowerment is viewed as an essential component in every sphere of
development. Panchayati Raj Institutions system has the capacity to promote women’s
empowerment. A more active role of women in Panchayati Raj Institutions will accelerate
the process of empowerment of women and will add to their strength in fighting against
gender discrimination.
Keyword:-Panchayati Raj,Constitutional Amendment,Women’s empowerment, implementation.

Introduction:
This article describes conceptual aspects of (d) Functional autonomy in consonance with
the Panchayati Raj (Local self government), its federal structure. On the other hand initiatives have
working and shortcomings, and discuss features been taken in the direction of social justice and
of 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1993.2 representativeness. By providing sufficient
To make Article 40 operational, the Balwant Raj reservation to backward and deprived classes in
Mehta Committee was appointed in 1957 to study Panchayati Institutions, people’s participation has
implementation of Panchayati Raj. In fact the 73rd been tried to make fruitful in the real sense.
constitutional amendment Act provides a new Similarly initiatives have been taken in the direction
dimension to the concept of Panchayati Raj and of women’s empowerment. Women’s participation
adopts the concept of people’s participation as an has been ensured by providing one-third
ideological and constitutional commitment. The Act reservation. Consequently millions of women’s
also stipulates the following formal pre-requisites have availed themselves of this political opportunity
for Panchayati Raj Institutions. (a) Specified and they have been elected representatives. Now
jurisdiction (b) Power and authority in proportion women are demanding the same for parliament
to liability (c) Required human and financial and state legislatures. It is a fact that the
resources for the management of the institution. development of women is not possible without
their active and sustainable participation.

· Assistant Professor, Deptt. of Home Science,M.N.M. Mahila College, Bettiah

· · Research Scholar, Bettiah (Bihar)
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 Empowerment has become a fashionable Act has strengthened the status of women in male-
and buzz word. It essentially means dominating political system. So they will have to
decentralization of authority and power. It aims at be prompt in playing their roles successfully.
getting participation of deprived section of people Moreover local people, government and non-
in decision-making process. In other words it is government institutions, voluntary organisations
giving voice to the voiceless. Women- should co-operate with them. Forming small
empowerment means equal opportunity in social groups the women too, will have to discuss
services including right to education and liberty, seriously different issues. Doing so, they will breed
participation in political and economic policy- self confidence. Consequently they will be able to
making, equal pay for equal work, legal protection play enhancing role in the meetings of gram sabha,
etc. Like issues have been included.3 In other planning, decision-making and its implementation,
words women-empowerment means the village affairs. But it is quite true that the power
acceptance of women’s dignity in the political, holders from centuries will not accept this change
social, and financial areas and their continuous so easily and they will try then best to utilize this
expansion so that they (women) may enjoy status alteration in their favour. Reeta Chowdhary
equal to men and join the mainstream of national Trembley and Prema Kumtakar have come to a
development. We may find the theoretical base of conclusion on the empirical studies of sixteen
women-empowerment in the concept of social panchayats of a district of Madhya Pradesh that
justice. It demands such as just society in which women’s participation by reservation can not be
special protection has been given to the weaker fruitful until hostile atmosphere is removed.5A
section and women. This protection should be workshop was organised in Patna on the topic of
provided not on the ground of mercy rather on training of trainers under the leadership of women
the ground of right.4 Its main purpose is to see in Panchayati Raj and the role of voluntary
that the benefits of organised social life, social organisations for five days.
planning and development should not be availed The women participants frankly accepted
of by a few selected person, rather it should be that their ignorance and prejudiced behaviour of
shared by common people in proper way so that men with them are a great obstacle to their path of
they all may live civilized life and they may enjoy progress.6 But it can not prevail for long because
dignified status in society. Of course the solution the awareness acquired from different directions,
of women’s problem is possible only when social, newspapers, televisions and women’s social
economic and political fields are made more organisations are playing active role to realise their
democratic in accordance with social justice. On existence. In Rajasthan a group of Mahila Panches
the other hand it is quite true that no other external given a statement publicly how they are being
factor can make the women strong enough unless affected by male members and hinderances are
and until they develop and upgrade their own being created in free decision-making.7 This
ability, capacity and confidence. Of course statement displays the awareness of this deprive
empowerment is not such a thing that can be section and its expansion will be helpful to make
imposed rather it should develop itself. 73rd them active members of the Panchayats. Of course
amendment Act has provided them an opportunity special training especially for the women is
to participate in development. If women produce necessary in the context of changed role of Gram
themselves in an active role the following political, Panchayats so that they may execute their role
social and economic impacts may be observed- impressively and successfully.
The first impact is political-73rd amendment It is so be noted that training and orientation

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programmes for the mahila members of Gram them to have dignified status in society. Panchayats
Panchayats are being organised by the Government, may play dominating role by creating mass-
Mahila commission and different mahila NGOs. awareness and removing social evils like child-
Different political parties themselves especially marriage, purda system, inhuman behaviour with
mahila units have organised different programmes widows, drug-addiction, dowry system, female-
for training according to the necessity of this foeticide and priority of the birth of male child. It
amendment act. Of course active participation of is also a fact that women need to be educated and
women in Pandhayati Raj Institutions will not only vigilant in order to participate in the national stream
make our democratic system strong and of development. Panchayats may take effective
comprehensive but also accelerate the process of steps in this direction. 73rd amendment act has
development of rural and rural people.8 enriched the panchayats with power. The whole
Second is the financial impact- Self- accountability of primary education has been
dependence in the field of economy is a very offered to panchayats. The representatives of
important factor for women’s empowerment. panchayats among which there is sufficient number
Despite being important components of population of women are in direct contact of public. In order
and work force, rural women are not only to achieve the goal of female education, they can
neglected but also excessively exploited. In spite convince the guardians to send their daughters to
of being extremely active and important participant school. Of course it is only education that begets
of agriculture work they are not treated as labour self-confidence, awareness of rights and moral
class. Disparity is maintained in giving strength to fight against injustice. They may be able
remuneration. This exploitation may come to an to protest against social and economic disparity
end by active participation in panchayats. They and injustice being perpetrated on them. It is to
may promote entrepreneurship by their proper be noted that the Indian constitution does not
representation in panchayats. They may create discriminate anyone on the ground of gender.
opportunities for employment by providing training Moreover special provisions have been made and
of small and cottage industries to women. They enacted for the utilization of power and rights
may contribute in the implementation of equal offered to women. The protection of women from
wages act 1976 properly. They may play active domestic violence Act has been enacted recently.
role in the implementation of women and child It is a historic st ep t owards women’s
welfare programmes through Panchayats. Of empowerment. But it may be fruitful only when
course by assurance of active participation of women are vigilant. Mass awareness programmes
women in Panchayats. Self-help groups may need to be initiated along with the proper
utilized as the chief weapon of mahila self implementation of the law. Panchayats may play
employment, because with the view to working active role in creating the sense of awareness
together economic activities may be conducted among the women by organising debates, meetings
skillfully. Savings, credit and debit from banks, and taking the help of literature. Voluntary
borrowing, lending and to have accounts help in organisations may play supporting role in this
economic stability and self-dependence. Thus regard. Of course if women are aware of their
active participation of women in panchayats may legal rights, not only their dignity will be sustained
make them self dependent which is an important but also the prejudiced feelings of men against them
factor of women-empowerment. will be changed.
Third is the social impact- A more active Thus, the 73rd amendment not only ensures
participation of women in the panchayats will help the participation of women in Panchayati Raj

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Institutions but it is also a significant step towards The active participation of women in
women’s empowerment. But at first women will Panchayati Raj Institutions will not only empower
have to help themselves for this purpose. The them but also remove several anomalies in the
government and non-government institutions, development and a better understanding of rural
voluntary organisations and mahila organisations will development will come forward. If Panchayati Raj
have to work together to make the participation of Institutions function in presence of formal (mention
women real and effective. It is also pertinent that above) and informal pre-requisites as mass
there should be a change in the attitudes of men awareness, extension of education, communal
towards women. They should have to eliminate unity, change in attitudes etc. and if they are made
prejudices against women and welcome the more democratic in accordance with social justice,
participation. On the other hand women ought to they can bring about political, social and economic
come out of their prejudices and self-created revolution. There is no doubt about it.
cobweb of centuries old attitudes towards men. References:
They should adopt views regarding class-harmony.
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implementation on various programmes on all India 9. Gauba, Dr. Om Prakash : “Encyclopaedia of
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where. Effectively targeted in favour of the poor Jhansi, 2008, Page-108
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