Women Leaders in Village Panchayats

I am an educated woman, having completed Middle School, who has successfully

drawn on my position as President to undertake a number of developmental

activities in my village. My case illustrates the range of opportunities that

entry in to the Panchayat system offers to enterprising women.

I am 23 years old, a Class VIII graduate from Jaipur. Since becoming President

in 2005, I have sanctioned over Rs. 30 Lakhs for the construction of wells and

hand pumps. By April 2008, all the Wards in my Panchayat will have access to

safe drinking water. As a member of the Village Education Committee (VEC),

I regularly inspect the quality of food that the local schools provide to children

under the mid-day meal Scheme. When the VEC discovered that food grains

were being pilfered, I spearheaded a campaign to petition the BDO and

ensured that the BDO dealt with the matter. In the last three years, I have

sanctioned and overseen the construction of five roads in my Panchayat. I have

also been responsible for the construction of an annicut (a small dam made

to alter/regulate the flow of small streams and rivulets for irrigation purposes)

worth Rs. 5 Lakhs. This has resulted in significantly raising the water table

in my region. Under the NREgS, I have sanctioned the construction of CC

roads, a bridge, and a number of water storage tanks.

I have also been proactive in mobilising my constituents and fellow elected

women leaders to lobby at the Block, District and on a few occasions at the

State levels. In 2006, I mobilized my constituents and went with them the

meet the State Irrigation Minister to request access to an irrigation Scheme. As

President of the Chaksu women’s federation, I have given shape and direction to

the federation. The federation is now actively involved in protecting the rights

of elected women leaders. In 2007, I mobilised federation members to speak to

the Chaksu BDO and pressurised him in to apologising for harassing a fellow

woman President- gulaab Devi. In the same year, I persuaded the federation to

join hands with the Chaksu Kisan Shakti Sangathan to take on a long pending

rape case in the area. The case is now pending in the Jaipur High Court.

My emergence as a successful Panchayat leader has not been easy. My first

challenge came from my Panchayat Secretary who had supported the candidate

Kaushalya Devi Meena
President
Panchayat: Nimodiya
Block: Chaksu
District: Jaipur