‘Panchayat Se Parliament 2.0’: Empowering Women Leaders

On January 6, 2025, the National Commission for Women (NCW), in collaboration with the Lok Sabha Secretariat and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, inaugurated ‘Panchayat Se Parliament 2.0’ at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan. This initiative commemorates the 150th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, a revered tribal leader and freedom fighter.

Program Highlights

Participants: The event brought together 502 elected women representatives from Scheduled Tribes across 22 states and Union Territories.

Objective: The primary aim is to empower these women by enhancing their understanding of constitutional provisions, parliamentary procedures, and governance, thereby fostering effective leadership.

Activities: The program includes workshops, sessions, and guided tours of significant government sites such as the new Parliament House, Samvidhan Sadan, Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, and Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Key Sessions and Speakers

Constitutional Provisions: Interactive workshops focused on constitutional provisions related to women, with special emphasis on the 73rd Amendment and the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) (PESA) Act.

Government Schemes: Discussions on government schemes addressing tribal issues, moderated by experts and Members of Parliament.

Leadership Development: Sessions aimed at recognizing the contributions of these representatives in areas such as education and rural development.

Dignitaries in Attendance

Lok Sabha Speaker: Om Birla inaugurated the event and led the delegates in reading the Preamble to the Constitution of India.

Union Ministers: Annapurna Devi (Women and Child Development) and Jual Oram (Tribal Affairs) addressed the participants, emphasizing the importance of women’s leadership in governance.

NCW Chairperson: Vijaya Rahatkar highlighted the significance of empowering women leaders in the political landscape.

Building on Past Initiatives

This program builds upon the success of ‘Panchayat Se Parliament 2024,’ which engaged 500 women Sarpanch from across India. The second edition aims to further strengthen the leadership skills of women, particularly in rural and tribal communities.

Summary of the news

Why in News	Key Points
Launch of ‘Panchayat Se Parliament 2.0’ by NCW	1. NCW launched ‘Panchayat Se Parliament 2.0’ for empowering tribal women representatives.
Event Date	2. Launched on January 6, 2025.
Participants	3. 502 elected women representatives from 22 states and Union Territories, mainly from tribal communities.
Objective	4. To train women leaders on constitutional provisions, governance, and parliamentary procedures.
Key Locations	5. Participants will visit Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Samvidhan Sadan, and Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya.
Focus Areas	6. Workshops on 73rd Amendment, PESA Act, and governance.
Launch Context	7. Building on the success of ‘Panchayat Se Parliament’ (2024) initiative.
Government Involvement	8. In collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Lok Sabha Secretariat.
Dignitaries Present	9. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Ministers Annapurna Devi (Women and Child Development), Jual Oram (Tribal Affairs), NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar.
Special Focus	10. Special focus on enhancing leadership among women from rural and tribal areas.
Key Legal Provisions Discussed	11. The 73rd Amendment and PESA Act provisions related to governance and women’s participation.