Women Leaders in Village Panchayats

I was married even before I turned 18. I could not even complete my schooling

before marriage. However, my husband was supportive and I completed my

matriculation after marriage, as a private candidate. I was the mother of a baby

girl by then.

I do not have any political background as such but as I am the most educated

person in my ward, the local President of the Block Congress approached me to

contest the election when the ward of the Panchayat was reserved for women.

My husband did not know how to react to the offer, but I was confident that I

could bring about a change to the Ward and to the lives of the people.

I contested the election and became the Ward Member of the Tilakpur Ward

of Chauldhua Panchayat. Lack of food security and yearly floods were the

major problems faced in the villages of the ward. I found out that the school

in Kathalguri village was shut for half the year, as the area surrounding the

school would be submerged due to flooding of the area. Thus, I facilitated

the construction of a link-road to the school with Rs. 1,00,000/- from the

Panchayat fund. I also facilitated reinforcing the school building by adding

some Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) posts to its structure. Now, no matter

how bad the floods get, the school remains open.

The only College in the locality is situated in my Ward. The representatives of the

Dibrugarh University visited the College a while back to assess the possibility of

University accreditation and affiliation. The representatives had some reservation

with regard to the College, as it lacked a playground and other infrastructural

requirements. I assured them that all the required norms would be fulfilled

in a short period. I ensured the Rs. 1,26,000 was sanctioned from Panchayat

funds for land development, a playground as well as for the construction of two

additional rooms. We also mobilized funds worth Rs. 2,00,000/- from the local

Ward Member of the Boginadi Anchalik Panchayat for these works. Finally, I

was able to ensure that the University recognized the College.

Bringing in an Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) centre

strengthened the Lower Primary School of Milanpur village. I had to

Rekha gogoi
Ward Member
Panchayat: Chauldhua
Block: Boginodi
District: Lakhimpur