I contested the election on encouragement from my husband and the people
of my community. I am 22 years old and belong to the Paasi caste (Scheduled
Caste). I contested from a reserved seat and won by a margin of 167 votes.
My husband runs a corner store and we have two children, a girl, and a boy.
I am literate.My Panchayat is in a Harijan dominated area but there are a few higher caste
people in the community as well. I was told by my community to fight for
the post of Ward Member and another woman from our community was
asked to contest for the post of member (Nyaya Panchayat member). Though
I knew I had support form the community, I went door-to-door campaigning.
Fortunately, both of us won, considering we both contested against upper
caste candidates.After I was elected in June 2006, I participated in a WLW, where I learned
to work in a team. I learnt about the different registers maintained, including
one recording the proceedings of the Executive Committee Meetings (ECM)
and learnt about the functions and the responsibilities of the same.In my career of two and half years, I facilitated the provision of 105 BPL
cards (out of 107 applications), ensured the sanction of one house under IAY,
solar lights, filled 15 OAP forms, and recruited a Sevika and Sahayika for the
Aanganwadi, both of whom are SCs.I feel helpless when the President and Panchayat Secretary do not cooperate
with me. I feel more handicapped when people of my own Ward bribe the
President and the BDO to get their work done. The President promises to
provide benefits to all the Wards in the ECM and thus gets the signatures of all
the Ward Members in the register. However, in the end, he just provides most
of the facilities to his own Ward. The other Ward Members do not cooperate
with me. The President often throws parties to which he invites the other
Ward Members and uses these gatherings to hold ECMs.Once, on hearing that the President was asking for a bribe, I decided to
investigate. I personally spoke to the people who had given him the bribe.Chandrawati Devi
Ward Member
Panchayat: Chandrapura
Block: Tilauthu
District: Rohtas