Women in Local Governance

Abstract

India’s Ninth Five-year plan and the recent Mid-Term review have noted that the benefits from the development programmes have largely been appropriated by the local elite. Gram Sabhas and Panchayat Meeting are favoured by ensuring the interests of poor. the participating women and SC/ST members represented these interests by their participation. The 73rd and 74th Amendments envisage the village panchayat as a forum and action point to address the local issues with local solutions and a real local remedy in bureaucratic, top-down schemes. The national goals and aspirations are in support of decentralization, while implementing we need to address concerns for inclusiveness, accountability and effectiveness.