Govt to hold workshops on making panchayats women-friendly
New Delhi (PTI): The government is set to hold workshops for women representatives from all three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), focused on developing at least one model women-friendly gram panchayat in each district, an official said.
Ahead of International Women's Day on March 8, over 1,200 women panchayat leaders will attend the workshops on women-led local governance.
The Panchayati Raj Ministry official said the workshops will be held on March 4-5. They are aimed at making PRIs more women-centric and strengthening grassroots democracy.
The workshops will focus on the crucial role of women elected representatives (WERs) in rural local governance and discuss the strategic roadmap of the Panchayati Raj Ministry to enhance their leadership and ensure their active participation in decision-making.
Outstanding women leaders in panchayats will be felicitated at the workshops.
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has urged states and Union territories to include women officers in the delegation of panchayat representatives attending the National Workshop and Convention of Panchayat Women Representatives, wherever possible.
A National Convention of Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats will be held on March 5, which will focus on developing at least one model gram panchayat in each district that is women and girl-friendly.
The official added that two rounds of training for master trainers have already been completed. This initiative is being led by Panchayati Raj Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj.
Panchayati Raj Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan', Minister of State Raj S P Singh Baghel, MoS for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse will be among those who will attend the events.
A primer on gender laws and the role of panchayat and a training module on WERs would also be released.
The conventions will also have panel discussions on related topics.
On March 8, a nationwide 'Mahila Gram Sabha' will be organised across all panchayats to celebrate International Women's Day. Special training programmes will also be conducted in selected panchayats.
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TN Assembly elections: Eight-month pregnant homemaker wins Thiru Vi Ka Nagar seat for TVK
Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.
Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.
Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.
Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.
According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.
She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.
A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.
Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.
Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
