How Telangana keeps sarpanches’ husbands away from admin works
A stunning 53% of the sarpanches in telangana are female, making it one of the first states to offer 50% reservation for women in local bodies. 6,808 of the 12,769 sarpanches are female, and women make up a data-sizeable portion of both local and urban bodies. More than 4,000 women serve as representatives in Mandals and Zilla Parishads, while 59,000 women serve as ward members in municipalities across the state.
Since granting women a one-third reservation in municipal bodies in the early 1990s, the state claimed to have achieved great advancements. Since many of them serve as Mandal presidents and Zilla Parishad chairs, the representation of women in Mandal Parishad and Zilla Parishad territorial seats has improved over time. Real women's empowerment, according to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders, has been achieved in the state during the past 20 years.
In the past, it was widely believed that although women were elected or nominated for positions in accordance with the quota, their families' male members actually held the real authority. Husbands of female public officials were frequently observed participating in meetings and making decisions. The women were only used as "rubber stamps" to complete the formalities by signing documents.
Numerous investigations showed that female representatives were restricted in their ability to carry out their constitutional obligations and turned into dummies in the hands of male family members or village elders. Many of the elected members of the local bodies, particularly the women, did not actively participate in the meetings. However, BRS officials claim that since women started standing up for themselves ten years ago, things have changed. They assert that since Telangana's creation, efforts have been taken to really empower women.
Orders under panchayat raj Section 37(5) Act-2018 were made last year to make sure that the wives and relatives of the female public representatives did not meddle in the administrative processes. They were cautioned against taking part in their spouses' official programmes and threatened with punishment if they did. According to a panchayat raj department announcement, anyone who witnessed the husbands or other relatives of women public representatives supervising or participating in the government's contracted work could snap a photo of them and send it to the Mandal- or district-level officials responsible for taking swift action against them.
The leaders of the ruling party point out that, in contrast to the past, young, educated women are stepping up to run in the local body elections and making a statement about themselves. They are making independent judgements to bring about change in their particular constituencies and have a solid awareness of the problems. women in public office are making sure that the advantages of different social initiatives reach the low-level recipients.
They also have a significant impact on the environment, health, education, and sanitation in the areas that fall under their purview. telangana winning the majority of the national best panchayat awards is evidence of this. In 2023, the state took home eight of the 27 National panchayat Awards.
Since granting women a one-third reservation in municipal bodies in the early 1990s, the state claimed to have achieved great advancements. Since many of them serve as Mandal presidents and Zilla Parishad chairs, the representation of women in Mandal Parishad and Zilla Parishad territorial seats has improved over time. Real women's empowerment, according to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders, has been achieved in the state during the past 20 years.
In the past, it was widely believed that although women were elected or nominated for positions in accordance with the quota, their families' male members actually held the real authority. Husbands of female public officials were frequently observed participating in meetings and making decisions. The women were only used as "rubber stamps" to complete the formalities by signing documents.
Numerous investigations showed that female representatives were restricted in their ability to carry out their constitutional obligations and turned into dummies in the hands of male family members or village elders. Many of the elected members of the local bodies, particularly the women, did not actively participate in the meetings. However, BRS officials claim that since women started standing up for themselves ten years ago, things have changed. They assert that since Telangana's creation, efforts have been taken to really empower women.
Orders under panchayat raj Section 37(5) Act-2018 were made last year to make sure that the wives and relatives of the female public representatives did not meddle in the administrative processes. They were cautioned against taking part in their spouses' official programmes and threatened with punishment if they did. According to a panchayat raj department announcement, anyone who witnessed the husbands or other relatives of women public representatives supervising or participating in the government's contracted work could snap a photo of them and send it to the Mandal- or district-level officials responsible for taking swift action against them.
The leaders of the ruling party point out that, in contrast to the past, young, educated women are stepping up to run in the local body elections and making a statement about themselves. They are making independent judgements to bring about change in their particular constituencies and have a solid awareness of the problems. women in public office are making sure that the advantages of different social initiatives reach the low-level recipients.
They also have a significant impact on the environment, health, education, and sanitation in the areas that fall under their purview. telangana winning the majority of the national best panchayat awards is evidence of this. In 2023, the state took home eight of the 27 National panchayat Awards.