A cartoon suggesting citizens are more interested in platforms like Instagram than in Gram Panchayats attracted a rejoinder from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, which stated that such broad statements “overlook the real, transformative work being done by democratic institutions at the grassroots.” The response is not without merit. Despite facing challenges, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) have been instrumental in driving meaningful change at the grassroots. They deserve not just scrutiny, but also appreciation for the positive work being done across villages in India.

PRIs are not merely administrative bodies but dynamic platforms for collective action and local innovation. Across the country, they are spearheading remarkable changes. Latifpur village near Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh has adopted dowry-free community weddings, supported by a corpus fund to meet marriage expenses. Kolhapur villages in Maharashtra took the decision to eliminate widowhood rituals such as breaking bangles as a symbol of reform. In Karnataka, Thindlu Gram Panchayat became the first in the state to provide universal insurance to all residents, setting a benchmark for community-led welfare.

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In Rajpur, Uttar Pradesh, a woman sarpanch has taken bold steps to make the village plasticfree, setting an example for sustainable development. In Vadga on village of Karnataka, a unique evening digital detox bans TV and mobile phone use from 7 PM to 9 PM to promote social bonding. Kolhapur villages have also prohibited the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks and a village in Maharashtra has banned smartphone use for children under 18 to curb digital addiction. Anamtogu Gram Panchayat in Telangana passed a resolution to ban liquor, led by women like K Manju Bhargavi and Sammakka. In the tribal district of Adilabad, around 600 villages have used the provisions of the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996, to assert local auto – nomy and shut down over 50 liquor outlets. These stories reflect the diverse ways in which panchayats, often led by women, are driving grassroots transformation in meaningful ways.

There is a constitutional mandate to effect cultural shift. Panchayat, a widely acclaimed web series, offers a glimpse into the daily life of a Gram Panchayat, highlighting administrative cha – llenges and the issue of proxy leadership. While entertaining, such depictions also serve as a bitter reminder of the realities surrounding our Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1993, which granted constitutional status to local self-governance and made it mandatory to reserve seats for women in all PRIs. The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), which mandates 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, is another revolutionary step towards women’s empowerment.

The G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, during India’s presidency, also recognized women-led development as crucial for gender equality and global GDP growth. From which levels or sectors can the necessary women leadership emerge to serve in higher legislative bodies? The answer lies within our Panchayati Raj Institutions. Article 243D of the Constitution provides for reservation of seats in Panchayats for wo men. Over 21 States have amended their State Panchayati Raj Acts to provide for 50 per cent reservation for women in Panchayats. As a result, over 1.4 million women elected representatives ~ Sarpanches, Presidents of Intermediate Panchayats, Zilla Parishad Chairpersons ~ are already working closely with the people at the grassroots level.

With proper training and guidance, most of them can easily ascend to higher positions such as State Assemblies and Lok Sabha. Gram Sabhas, where women can participate directly, act as live training grounds for aspiring leaders. Through active engagement in these forums, even ordinary women begin their journey toward leadership. This journey prepares women for national leadership roles. Leaders like Droupadi Murmu, who rose from a Councillor to become the President of India, Savitri Thakur, who served as a Zila Panchayat Chair before becoming a Union Minister, Raksha Nikhil Khadse, who was a Sarpanch and Zilla Parishad Member before becoming a Union Minister of State and Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, who served as a Corporator and Mayor before becoming a Union Minister of State, demonstrate the potential of grassroots politics as a training ground for higher legislative roles.

PRIs are not just local governance units but vital nurseries for future state and national leaders. While reservation has opened the doors for women in PRIs, several challenges hinder their effective participation. A key concern is proxy representation, where elected women remain figureheads, and real authority is exercised by male family members ~ often referred to as ‘Sarpanch Pati’. This deprives women of meaningful governance experience. Experience from PRIs shows that merely providing reservation is not enough; nurturing competent and efficient wo – men leadership is paramount.

There is a pressing need to prepare the women leadership who will be entering higher legislative bodies. Comprehensive capacity building programmes to stren – gthen women’s leadership should encompass training in public leadership development, negotiation, advocacy and confident interaction with the media. Establishing training hubs at the regional level and providing training in regional languages can make these programmes more effective. The success of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam depends on how effectively grassroots women leaders are prepared. Investing in grassroots women leadership is the true path to a strong democracy and women led development.

(The writer is a transparency and equality advocate and author)