Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Friday praised the growing representation of women in grassroots governance, citing Bihar’s pioneering step in 2006 to reserve 50 percent seats for women in local bodies.
He said today, about 21 states have adopted similar measures, resulting in over 14.5 lakh women representatives at the grassroots level.
“With the passage of landmark women’s reservation legislation in the New Parliament building in 2023, more women will be part of national leadership in the times to come,” Harivansh said while addressing the National Conference on Committee on Empowerment of Women in Tirupati. He emphasized that gender-inclusive growth aligns with India’s broader growth story.
Harivansh underlined the need for improving social awareness alongside legal and policy changes. “The election of a woman from a tribal background as the President of India has shown how inspirational journeys can positively influence society,” he added.
He also praised Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s visionary leadership, which he said, transformed undivided Andhra Pradesh into a technology hub, enabling young Indians, including girls, to access high-skilled sectors. Sri City near Tirupati was highlighted as a notable example of economic activity where women comprise more than half the workforce in industries.
The 50 per cent reservation for women in local bodies has been instrumental in increasing women’s participation in governance. Bihar’s initiative in 2006 paved the way for other states to follow suit. Studies have shown that decentralization and women’s reservation in local governance can lead to improved health outcomes, such as increased institutional births, and better availability of public facilities like drinking water, schools, and health centers.
In this context, Harivansh recalled Ram Manohar Lohia’s vision on gender parity, emphasizing that discrimination against women is a societal curse that needs to be addressed independently. He expressed satisfaction that today, there is an integrated approach to addressing such barriers through various schemes across Union ministries, including the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, which has opened over 56 crore bank accounts.