Women Leaders in Village Panchayats

My second stint as an elected women representative began when I was

elected as the President of Bada Kalapat gram Panchayat of gumma Block

in gajapati District. In my earlier stint as a representative, I was the Ward

Member from my village as well as the Vice President of the Panchayat. When

I assumed office as President in 2007, the NREgS had just been introduced

and it was the biggest welfare scheme to be implemented by the Panchayat.

THP-Institute for Women’s Development also conducted training for

elected representatives on NREgS: its functioning and the critical role of the

Panchayat in its success. I realized the obvious merits of the Scheme and its

potential to change the rural scenario forever. It was a Scheme, combining

food security, meaningful employment, and gender equality and which

resulted in the creation of social assets.

Paying special attention to the Scheme, I have ensured that all the families in

the Panchayat have been given job cards, and I have been able to implement

work for Rs.52 lakhs under it. This is a record of sorts, as not many other

Panchayats in the District have able to implement works for even half that

amount! The works under the Scheme include the terracing of more than

100 acres of land, construction of roads, deepening of an irrigation channel,

building and strengthening of check dams and plantation works. Many people

have immensely benefited form this Scheme and many have received work for

more than the stipulated 100 days of work. Self-motivation and a desire for

serving the people have helped me in implementing the Scheme on such a large

scale. I also feel that I have benefited from the cooperation of the people, Ward

Members, and government Officials. The results of the success of NREgS

are there for all to see: migration in the region has fallen drastically due to the

availability of work at home. However, I have some reservations about the

speed at which things move in the system, as often people are not paid within

fifteen days of work. To counter this, I have proposed to the BDO to release

the payment in advance so that people can be paid before the amount of the

work done is measured.

My actions have helped in improving the functioning of the Residential

School in my Panchayat specially built for Adivasi children. The teachers of

Martha Badaraita
President
Panchayat: Bada Kalapat
Block: gumma
District: gajapati