Panchayati Raj Institutions have played important role in women empowerment: President Murmu

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday said the Panchayati Raj Institutions, which provide a platform for governance and community development at the grassroots level, have played an important role in the empowerment of women.

Addressing an event here, the president advised the women representatives to discharge their responsibilities fearlessly as elected representatives in the panchayats.

She said that as a panchayat representative, they have the right to resolve mutual disputes among the villagers.

"They should use this right appropriately and try to resolve disputes among the villagers at the panchayat level itself. This will not only save people's resources and time but will also increase mutual harmony," Murmu was quoted as having said in a statement issued by her office.

She was addressing a group of Scheduled Tribe women representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, who had called on her at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre here.

The group is in Delhi under the ‘Panchayat se Parliament’ initiative organised by the National Commission for Women in collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Lok Sabha Secretariat.

Addressing the gathering, the president said that Panchayati Raj Institutions have been the cornerstone of our democracy.

"They provide a platform for governance and community development at the grassroots level. These institutions have played an important role in the empowerment of women," she said.

Murmu said that about 14 lakh women are serving as elected members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions and rural local bodies across the country, which is 46 per cent of the total elected representatives.

She said that to strengthen this participation further, most states have increased the reservation limit to 50 per cent.

The president urged the representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions to raise awareness among the eligible people to take advantage of welfare schemes being run by the Central government for the welfare of people.

She also asked them to ensure that children are vaccinated on time, pregnant women get proper nutrition and children do not leave their studies midway.

Murmu said that they should run campaigns against social evils like dowry, domestic violence and drug addiction.