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 and community 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.