Rajya Sabha member Neeraj Dangi from Rajasthan raised a supplementary question in the house on the matter of 50% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj. Emphasizing the strengthening of representation of women in rural areas, he called for an increase in the participation of women in the country, aligning with the vision of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He sought information in the house about the vacant seats reserved for women in Panchayat Raj seats in states with 50% reservation for the financial years 2019 to 2022. Expressing regret over the decrease in the number of elected women representatives from backward classes in the Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs) post-COVID, he demanded assurance of ensuring the designated reservation for women representation.
In response to this question, Panchayat Raj State Minister Kapil Moreshwar Patil informed the house that an event to felicitate outstanding representatives with reservations, including 50% women reservation, was organised on April 17, 2023, in New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan. He mentioned that only 18 female Sarpanches from the 21 states with 50% women reservations were honoured in this event.
MP Dangi sought information on the efforts and programs conducted by the Ministry of Panchayat Raj to increase the representation of women and their participation in Panchayat Raj seats in rural areas. He stated that the reservation of seats for women in Panchayat Raj was a gift from Rajiv Gandhi.
