NEW PANCHAYATI RAJ: PRESENT STATUS AND FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR WOMEN PANCHAYAT REPRESENTATIVES IN BIHAR

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STATUS REPORT OF WOMEN PANCHAYAT REPRESENTATIVES

IN DALIT HEADED PANCHAYATS IN BIHAR

THEME:

NEW PANCHAYATI RAJ: PRESENT STATUS

AND

FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR WOMEN PANCHAYAT REPRESENTATIVES IN

BIHAR

STUDY SUPPORTED BY

SIR DORABJI TATA TRUST

EQUITY FOUNDATION A FORUM FOR WOMEN & CHILD

123-A PATALIPUTRA COLONY

ROAD 5-A

PATNA-13

PHONE- 0612- 2270171

EMAIL- [email protected]

Website- www.equityasia.net

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AAAABSTRACTBSTRACTBSTRACTBSTRACT

Panchayati Raj Institutions have always been considered as a means to good governance

and 73rd

Constitutional Amendment was effected in the hope that it would lead to better

governance and provide political space to the disadvantage section of the society like

schedule caste, schedule tribes and women. The present study was an effort to know the

extent of participation of SC women elected representative in Panchayat, their status and the

problems faced by them. Sample consisted of 100 women elected representatives from two

Districts of Patna and Gaya. Random sampling technique was adopted for selecting the

sample from different blocks. The tool used for obtaining information was an Interview

Schedule. The findings of the study revealed that neither the reservation for women or their

actual presence in the Panchayat have become any more sensitive to the problems related to

the village women. The women who are elected are not always treated with due respect.

Many elected women complained that their suggestions were not considered seriously nor

were they consulted while decisions were being made. Some felt that their views were

ignored only because they are women. At times they were pressurized by their husbands to

approve their decisions made by the male dominated Panchayat.

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EEEEXECUTIVE XECUTIVE XECUTIVE XECUTIVE SSSSUMMUMMUMMUMMARYARYARYARY

Chapter-I will begin with the brief survey of the demographic situation and socioeconomic

status of the Dalit in Bihar. It will move on to the emergence of political awakening and

mobilization of the Dalit and efforts made to improve the status of the Dalit with special

reference to women. This will be followed by a brief survey of Panchayati Raj in Bihar since

its inception. The Chapter will conclude with the statement of objectives of the study and its

operational strategies.

Chapter-II is a social profile of the 2 districts of Gaya and Patna covered by the study in the

state. This will be followed by an ethnographic description of the most important Scheduled

castes in the state viz. Chamar, Dusadh, Dhobi, Musahar, and Pasi. The Chapter will pass on

to describe the profile of respondents, their sex wise distribution by the positions held by

them and their break up by age, land holding, main occupation, family income, housing,

nature of public activities before contesting the election, source of inspiration for filing

nomination and the difficulties faced by them during election.

Chapter - III will begin with a description of roles and responsibilities given to the Gram

Panchayat their working and the role of the respondents in Panchayat activities, the problems

faced by them and efforts made to overcome them and effectiveness of the respondents,

benefit accruing to the Dalits to different development schemes, steps taken to improve the

status of women and suggestions for improving women participation. It will focus on the

nature of social work done by them, their role and problem faced by them in the performance

of their functions.

Chapter-IV will deal with the Panchayati Raj as an important avenue for the empowerment

of disadvantaged sections of Indian society by giving those powers of self governance

through active participation.

Chapter-V The chapter seeks to examine the barriers in discharging their roles, orientation

training of elected representatives, their nature of participation in the Panchayat activities, the

behavior of government functionaries towards them, rise in their self confidence and level of

aspiration, improvement in their socioeconomic status and impediments to the process of

empowerments of the Dalit elected representatives.

Chapter-VI will be a rounding off of the study based on collection of data through

interview schedule administered to 1000 respondents and also on the case histories. The case

histories will reveal a more realistic picture of the existing situation leading to a discussion of

the tasks ahead and the recommendations to accelerate the process of empowerment.

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1 .................................................................................................................... 5-15

Introduction

Chapter 2 ................................................................................................................. 16-25

Social profile of the 2 districts and the People & Panchayat

Chapter 3 ............................................................................................................. .... 26-37

Profile of the Respondents

Chapter 4 .................................................................................................................. 38-51

Role of Elected Women Representatives

Chapter 5 .................................................................................................................. 52-57

Status of Empowerment of Elected Women Representatives

Chapter 6 .................................................................................................................. 58-63

Barriers to the process of empowerments of elected women representatives

Chapter 7 .................................................................................................................. 64-75

Case Studies

Conclusion & Recommendations

Annexure………………………………………………………………………………………………..................76-113

Voices from the field

Charts from the field survey

Reference

Interview Schedules

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Tables:

Table No. Title Page No.

1 Demographic profile 7

2 Population of Bihar 8

3 Sex Ratio 8

4 Literacy Rate 8

5 Percentage Distribution of Workers in four Economic Categories 9

6 Number of elected representatives at each level 12

7 Reservation in Panchayats 12

8 Sample of PRI members covered 16

9 Demographic and social indicators of Gaya 19

10 Profile of Panchayat covered under the study in Gaya 20-21

11 Demographic profile of Patna 23

12 Profile of Panchayat covered under the study in Patna 24-25

13 Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 1976 26

14 Total number of PRIs covered 28

15 Posts held by PRIs covered in the study 28

16 Age wise distribution of Respondents 29

17 Educational Qualification of the respondents 29

18 Caste wise Distribution of the Respondent 30

19 Specific categories in SC 30

20 Marital Status 31

21 Land Holding 31

22 Source of Income 31

23 Cards Held 32

24 Occupation Pattern of Women Leader 32

25 Infrastructural facilities of Panchayats 32-33

26 Political Background of the Respondent 34-36

27 Types of pre-election activities 37

28 Difficulties faced during election 38

29 Knowledge of Development schemes implemented by Gram Panchayat 40-42

30 Schemes directly intervened by the Gram Panchayat for the benefit of the Dalit

community

43-44

31 Support of local M. Ps. and M.L.As to the PRIs for the implementation of

schemes

44

32 Benefits to specific groups from development work 45-46

33 Involvement & Support extended by the Member of Panchayat to their

community

47-49

34 Support provided to women of SC community 50-52

35 Support from Officials 53

36 Improvement in status of women members 54

37 Problems faced by the EWR in role performance 55

38 Steps taken for improving the status of SC women representatives 55

39 Did EWRs faced violence while contesting election 57

40 Problems faced after being elected as the Panchayat Representative 60

41 Reasons for poor participation in politics by scheduled caste members 61

42 Decisions taken by women in Panchayat 62

43 Orientation training of Panchayat members 62

44 Success & Failures 64

45 Desire to contest election again 65

46 Future Planning 65

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Boxes

Box No. Title Page No.

1 Status of Dalit Women 11

2 Political presence and participation of women 13

3 Profile of Respondents 34





8 Status of Empowerment Of Elected Women Representatives 56

9 Status of Empowerment Of Elected Women Representatives 56

10 Way Forward


62

11 Way Forward


65

12 Women’s Participation: Field observations 66

Maps

Box No. Title Page No.

1 Map of Bihar 7

2 Map of Gaya 18

3 Map of Patna 22

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CCCCHAPTERHAPTERHAPTERHAPTER 1111---- IIIINTRODUCTIONNTRODUCTIONNTRODUCTIONNTRODUCTION

Profile of Bihar

Bihar is the third most populous state of India. It was a part of the Bengal Presidency during

the colonial period until 1912. It was then united with Orissa to form a single province. Later,

by the Govt. of India Act, 1935 Bihar became a separate unit and an independent State. At

independence in 1947, the province of Bihar, with the same geographical boundary, became

the State of Bihar, a part of the Republic of India. The present status of the State has been

shown in the table 1 below:

Table 1: Demographic profile

Total Area 94,163.00 sq. kms

Rural Area 92,257.51 sq. kms

Urban Area 1,095.49 sq. kms

Districts 38

Blocks 531

Number of revenue villages 45,103

Total Population 8,28,78,796

Literacy 47.53%

Male literacy 60.32%

Female Literacy 33.57%

(Source: Bhatt and Bhargava, 2005, and http://gov.bih.nic.in/Profile/default.htm)

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Bihar is situated in the eastern part of India It is the twelfth largest state in geographic size

and has the third largest population in the country, which is comparable to the population of

Germany. The state capital is Patna. Bihar is divided into 38 administrative districts. The

2001 Census reaffirmed that Bihar is one of the most educationally backward states in India.

While the total literacy rate of India is 75.9 per cent, the literacy rate of Bihar is only 59.7 per

cent.The State of Bihar was bifurcated, with the formation of the State of Jharkhand in

November 2000. Presently, the State has 38 districts, after its reorganization, 534 blocks and

45,103 villages with a total population of 82,998,509. Table 2 presents the population profile

of the state.

Table 2: Population of Bihar

Scenario of SC Population in Bihar according to 2001 Census

The Scheduled Caste (SC) population of Bihar State is 13,048,608 as per 2001 census

constituting 15.7 per cent of the total population (82,998,509) of the State. The State holds

3rd rank among all the States and UTs in terms of SC population. The growth of SC

population during 1991-2001 has been 30.7 per cent which is 2.1 per cent higher than the

growth of total population (28.6 percent). The State has a total of twenty three (23) Scheduled

Castes and all of them have been enumerated at 2001 census. Overall, the State accounts for

1.3 per cent of the total SC population of the country. The Scheduled Castes are

overwhelmingly rural, with 93.3 per cent residing in rural areas. Among the districts, Gaya

has the highest proportion of SCs (29.6 per cent) followed by Nawada, Aurangabad, Kaimur,

Vaishali and Nalanda. Kishanganj district has the lowest proportion of the SC population (6.6

per cent). The overall sex ratio of the SC population in Bihar is 923 females per 1000 males

which is lower than the national average of 936 in respect of all SCs.

Table 3: Sex Ratio

Age

group

All SCs

(India)

All SCs

(Bihar)

Bhuiya Musahar Chamar Dhobi Pasi Dusadh

All ages 936 923 940 932 927 922 920 912

0-6 938 963 1000 973 959 940 975 955

Source: Census 2001

Table 4: Literacy Rate

Literacy

Rate

All SCs

(Bihar)

Dhobi Pasi Dusadh Chamar Bhuiya Musahar

Person 28.5 43.9 40.6 33.0 32.1 13.3 9

Female 15.6 27.9 25.3 18.5 16.8 6.5 3.9

Total Population (State) 82,998,509

Schedule Caste Population 13,048,608

Schedule Tribe Population 758, 351

Muslim Population 16.36%

Source: Census 2001

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Table 5: Percentage Distribution of Workers in four Economic Categories

Economic

category

All SCs

(Bihar)

Chamar Dusadh Musahar Pasi Dhobi Bhuiya

Cultivators 7.9 7.9 10.3 2.7 12.3 14.8 6.6

Agricultural

labourers

77.6 80.2 75.9 92.5 46.5 48.1 86.6

HHI

workers

3.3 2.1 1.6 0.8 12.2 9.6 1.0

Other

workers

11.2 0.8 12.2 4.0 29.0 27.5 5.6

Source: Census 2001

In Bihar, proportions of married girls below 18 years (4.4 per cent) and married boys below

21 years (5.3 per cent) are higher than those at the national level (2.8 per cent & 3.1 per cent).

Dalits in Bihar

Dalits (the most oppressed and lower caste segment of Indian society) are one of the most

unfortunate groups in Bihar which suffer from numerous kinds of exploitative and oppressive

practices of Indian society. Hinduism has degraded them beyond imagination. Psychological,

social and cultural proscriptions have unleashed tremendous amount of miseries and

hardships to them. The term Dalit is chiefly used for those who are ex-untouchables in Indian

(mainly Hindu) society, and are extremely poor, landless, illiterate and exploited. They are

the products of highly discriminatory and inhuman nature of the functioning of Indian caste

system (Beteille: 1976; Bhoite and Bhoite: 1976; Zelliot: 1992; Chanda and Mitra: 2003;

Rege: 2003). An entire segment of population was assigned ‘unclean’ occupations like

scavenging, flaying, tanning etc. and converted into untouchables. The attitude of higher

caste people towards the untouchables even today has not changed much.

The scheduled castes are at the bottom of social hierarchy in Bihar. They are characterized by

two key words – population and poverty. The bulk of the scheduled castes are landless and

almost destitute. Even if they hold land, it is often in small quantity, infertile, un-irrigated and

economically unviable. A large segment of the scheduled castes do not have homestead land.

They build their huts on the land belonging to landowners who employ them as share

croppers and or attached or bonded laborer. In Bihar, 23 castes have been included in the

scheduled caste list. They constitute a sizeable section of Bihar‘s population. Out of the total

population of 1.30 crore, 93% of lives in rural areas. The literacy percentage is 28.5 as

against 47% for the state as a whole. The scheduled caste population had gone up by 4,

76,908 persons which accounted for 3.79% growth rate. In 2001, their population stood at

1.30 crores which accounts for 15.7% of the total population of the state. About 46% the

Scheduled caste population is located in north Bihar. The scheduled castes are scattered

throughout the state. The bulk of them are located in South Bihar. The density of their

population varies from district to district. They have a high concentration in the districts of

Gaya (29%), Vaishali (20.7%), Nalanda (20%). In education, their level is extremely poor. In

1981, the rate of literacy was 10.4% which had gone up to 19.49% and then to 28.5% in

2001. Although female literacy among them had increased from 1.93% in 1981 to 7.07% in

1991, it was much lower than that among the general population. Among the scheduled

castes, percentage of workers is 37.4% (1991 Census); out of which 35.07% are main

workers and 2.33% are marginal workers. The percentage of male workers is 50.11% out of

which only 0.33% are marginal workers whereas the percentage of female workers. Among

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the total main scheduled caste workers, only 8.8% are cultivators, whereas 72.25% are

agricultural laborers.

Social and political awakening of the scheduled castes started to take shape at the turn of the

20th century. The Dusadh among the scheduled caste seems to be the first to grasp the

importance of a collective effort to improve their lot. In the Vidhan Sabha elections in

November, 2005, as many as 39 persons out of 243 were returned from reserved seats meant

for scheduled caste candidates. Their caste-wise break up was Dusadh 17, Chamar-8, Dhobi -

2, Pasi - 3, and Musahar – 7, Rajwar – 1, and Mehtar – 1. This also included 5 women. The

scheduled castes are now conscious of their political rights. The scheduled castes have

formed Dalit Sena and Ambedkar Sena to protest and retaliate against violence and injustice

perpetrated on them.

Status of Dalit Women

Vulnerably positioned at the bottom of Bihar’s caste, class and gender hierarchies, Dalit

women experience endemic gender-and-caste discrimination and violence as the outcome of

severely imbalanced social, economic and political power equations. Their socio-economic

vulnerability and lack of political voice, when combined with the dominant risk factors of

being Dalit and female, increase their exposure to potentially violent situations while

simultaneously reducing their ability to escape. Violence against Dalit women presents clear

evidence of widespread exploitation and discrimination against these women subordinated in

terms of power relations to men in a patriarchal society, as also against their communities

based on caste. As the National Commission for Women has commented, “in the commission

of offences against… scheduled caste [Dalit] women the offenders try to establish their

authority and humiliate the community by subjecting their women to indecent and inhuman

treatment, including sexual assault, parading naked, using filthy language, etc.” Hence,

violence, which serves as a crucial social mechanism to maintain Dalit women’s subordinate

position in society, is the core outcome of gender-based inequalities shaped and intensified by

the caste system. This situation exists in India today despite constitutional guarantees of non-

discrimination on the basis of caste and gender (Article 15(1)), the right to life and security of

life (Article 21) and the constitutional directive to specifically protect Dalits from social

injustice and all forms of exploitation (Article 46). Moreover, the Indian State has enacted a

series of laws protecting the rights of Dalits and women, acknowledging the prevalence of

discrimination and violence against these sections of society. A key law in this regard is the

Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989. The presence of

laws, however, without concomitant implementation to ensure personal security to Dalit

women, and without concerted efforts to emancipate the Dalit community and eradiate

entrenched gender-and-caste biased notions of (in) equality and (in) justice, is not enough.

The Indian government has itself acknowledged that the institutional forces – caste, class,

community and family – arraigned against women’s equal rights are powerful and shape

people’s mindsets to accept pervasive gender inequality. If human rights are the legitimating

of human needs, then the needs of Dalit women for personal security, socio-economic

development and social justice are priority areas for intervention. Very little information or

government data exists today as regards the specific situation of Dalit women in the country

and the state.

The situation of Dalit women in India is just unexplainable. They are one among the worst

sufferers of socio-cultural, political and economic exploitation, injustice, oppression and

violence. Their woes and miseries are boundless. They are the ones who form ‘real’ teeming

millions in India, and are affected by all kinds of social and economic oppressions. They are

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mainly employed in unorganized sector of the Indian economy as daily wagers and marginal

workers.

Box 1

Panchayati Raj

Being the most ancient republics, namely lichhavi and sakya gantantra that existed in the

State, Bihar is said to have a rich history of local self government. Post independence,

provision was made to make the district board areas smaller than the revenue boards by the

Bihar Local Self-Government Act. An amendment in 1950 made provision for elected

representatives in local boards. In 1961, the Bihar Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad Act

was enacted to create block and district level Panchayats. This Act was amended in 1964 so

as to shift the focus from village to block and district level units. By 1970, three tier

structures were in place all over the State. By then, the scenario of Panchayats was entering

the phase of stagnation, as noted by the Ashok Mehta Committee and Bihar was no

exception. In pursuance of the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution of India, the Bihar

Panchayati Raj Act was passed in 1993. This was comprehensively revised and repealed in

2006. The Bihar Panchayati Raj Act 2006 has the unique feature of establishing Nyaya

Panchayat known as Gram Kutchehries – these are meant to secure accessible justice delivery

system at affordable costs at the doorsteps of the rural population. A fresh legislation was

enacted in 2006, repealing the Act of 1993, before the next elections became due. Some

important Salient features of the new Act are as follows;

o Reservations of all categories would be under 50 percent.

o The Scheduled Casts and Scheduled Tribes reservation would be in proportion to their

population.

o In all maximum 20 percent reservations would be provided to the backward class

o In all categories 50 percent reservations would be provided for the women candidates.

In the latest elections held in May-June 2006, 50 percent of the elected positions were

reserved for women in all levels of Panchayats, the SC and ST were provided reservation in

proportion to their population and the BCs were provided 20 percent reservation in all

Among disadvantaged social groups – such as the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled

Tribes (ST) – we observe that women here are not only more disadvantaged than men, but

equally as much so in relation to their sisters in the general population. The differential – in

wages, work participation rates, literacy and education, health and mortality – is palpable.

Levels of educational deprivation are highest among rural SC-ST females and lowest among

urban males who do not belong to these social groups (Jayal, 2006a: 35). Only a quarter of

SC-ST women are literate, as compared to approximately half in other, less disadvantaged,

social groups. Similarly, the data for schooling of children between the ages of 7 and 16

years shows that the mean years of schooling for Muslim girls – whether rural or urban –

are fewer than even those for SC-ST girls. If rural Muslim girls in this age group get 2.62

mean years of schooling, SC-ST girls get 2.75 (Government of India, 2006: 290). The

fertility rate among SC-ST and Muslim women is also higher than the average. Thus, if the

average for women as a whole is 2.7 children in a lifetime, the average for women

belonging to these three groups is 2.9 (SC) 3.1 (ST) and 3.1 for Muslims. Likewise,

anaemia is especially high in women without any education and those belonging to the

Scheduled

Tribes (IIPS, 2007: 310).

Source: Study on EWRs in Panchayati Raj Institutions (Ministry of Panchayati Raj Government of India)

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categories of seats. Details of elected representatives of Panchayats held in 2006 as per

reservation provision are as follows (details of candidates won on unreserved seats are not

available):

Table 6: Number of elected representatives at each level

Members of

GP

Unreserved SC ST BC Total Women

Members of

GP

77186 18898 891 18901 115876 54260

Mukhiya 5549 1382 68 1464 8463 3784

Panchayat

Samiti

7516 1881 91 2078 11566 5371

Pramukh 346 89 04 92 531 237

Zila

Parishad

members

744 192 09 217 1162 568

ZP

Chairperson

25 06 00 07 38 18

Panch

members

77187 18898 891 18900 115876 544448

Sarpanch 5549 1382 68 1464 8463 4013

Source: State Election Commission, Bihar

As per the Act of 2006, the SC and ST were provided reservation in proportion to their

population and the BCs were provided as nearly as but not exceeding 20 percent reservation

in all categories of seats. Details of elected representatives of Panchayats held in 2006 as per

reservation provision are given in Table 7.

Table 7: Reservation in Panchayats (figure in brackets shows the number of women

representatives)

Members of

GP

Unreserved SC ST BC Total

Members of

GP

77186 (36423) 18898 (9475) 891 (305) 18901(8057) 115876 (54260)

Mukhiya 5549 (2611) 1382 (561) 68 (17) 1464 (595) 8463 (3784)

Panchayat

Samiti

7516 (3602) 1881 (808) 91 (40) 2078 (921) 11566 (5371)

Pramukh 346 (164) 89 (36) 04 (00) 92 (37) 531 (237)

Zila Parishad

members

744 (381) 192 (85) 09 (02) 217 (100) 1162 (568)

ZP

Chairperson

25 (12) 06 (03) 00 07 (03) 38 (18)

Panch

members

77187 (36501) 18898 (9033) 891 (534) 18900 (8380) 115876 (54448)

Sarpanch 5549 (2631) 1382 (654) 68 (49) 1464 (679) 8463 (4013)

Source: State Election Commission, Bihar

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Political presence and participation of women

In 2006 a reform prescribed 50 % reservation for women in the three layers of the PRIs.

Whilst in general only 33% of seats are reserved for women, the State of Bihar took the bold

step of reserving 50%: currently, elected women representatives occupy 54% of seats in

Bihar’s Panchayat. This reform is unique both in a national and in an international

comparison. However the effective power of women in the PRI’s of India is often described

as being surrounded by a range of hindering factors. Due to several seats remaining unfilled,

the actual proportion of women does not measure up to 50%. It ranges from lowest in

Mukhiyas category at 44.7 percent to highest 48.8 percent for Zila Parishad members. Share

of women representatives among total elected representatives of Panchayats at each tier

works out to 47 percent. Here provision has been made that total reservation for women are

as nearly as but not exceeding fifty percent of the total seats including seats reserved for SCs,

STs, and BCs. Such reserved seats shall be allotted by rotation to different Panchayats under

the direction, control and supervision of the State Election Commission in the manner

prescribed by it. No information could be ascertained about women candidates getting elected

from ‘unreserved’ or general seats. Reservation is rotated at the time of Panchayat election,

i.e., every five years. The two child norm is not in force.

Box 2

It is found that many of the women are elected because of the status of their male relatives.

Such women seemingly function as proxies for their male relations. Also, in some cases, it is

noticed that the husbands had been Panchayat representatives earlier and when the seats was

reserved for women, the husbands put their efforts and got their wives elected. There are also

instances of positive and self-determinate role played by women elected representatives. In

general wherever women’s participation has been good, greater interest in matters of more

immediate local concern – like drinking water, health, and schools, has resulted.

Objectives of the Study and Operational Strategies

The Present Study

The present study is an attempt to probe the process of empowerment of the elected

scheduled caste PRI members and their efforts for the advancement of their own community

in Bihar. The major objectives of the study are as given below:

o To examine the role of elected PRI scheduled caste members in prioritizing their

demands and guiding them for implementation of their own and the wider

community.

o To inquire into the efforts made by them to the upliftment of their fellow caste

women.

o To identify the constraints in the empowerment of the elected PRI members at

different levels.

o To examine specifically the role of elected women members in putting forward the

agenda of development and empowerment through Panchayati Raj Institutions.

“Women always face violence from men. Equality is only preached, but not put into practice.

Dalit women face more violence every day and they will continue to do so until society changes

and accepts them as equals.”

Bharati, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh (who was beaten, verbally abused and forcibly incarcerated

by dominant caste men of her village for contesting the Panchayat elections in 1999)

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o To identify the reason for poor participation of some scheduled castes leading to

unequal empowerment and attainment of better quality of life.

o To assess the reduction in exploitation, gains in self confidence / self esteem and

social participation through their efforts.

o Does Caste Influence a Woman’s Attitude?

o Knowledge about the 50% reservation

o Who Participates in Local Elections

o To suggest measures to accelerate the process of empowerment and effectiveness of

elected PRI scheduled caste members in Bihar.

Main Research Theme

Participation of Women in Panchayati Raj Institutions The objective of this section is to take account of the status & location of women in

Panchayati Raj and how the PRIs have impacted the lives of women (special focus on women

from the dalit community) through progressive legislation for their participation and

empowerment. In this context the questions to be explored would be as follows:

Women’s performance in the Panchayats can be measured based on the following criteria.

The criteria have been developed on a continuum from most likely to least likely to occur.

For this study, success can be broadly defined within four major categories:

∼ Women’s initiatives,

∼ Participation in Panchayat activities and knowledge about Panchayat politics,

∼ Policy changes and

∼ Changes at the personal and family level.

Research Design

Approach

The approach adopted for study of socio-economic political status of dalit women Panchayat

representatives will be holistic one with a focus on the role of various other stakeholders

apart from women Panchayat functionaries in the Development system, involving:

! PRI Members (Gram Panchayat Members and Panchayat Samiti Members)

! Govt. Officials at district, block and Panchayat levels

! Political Leaders

! NGOs

! State government officials

Research Operations

The study will be based upon primary as well as secondary data. Secondary data have been

collected from both published and unpublished literature - Census reports, government

records and other secondary sources. Primary data have been collected on the basis of

interview from the selected respondents comprising elected scheduled caste PRI members,

officials and opinion leaders in the society. It will combine both quantitative and qualitative

techniques of data collection and information. The study will carry out an extensive field

work in 2 districts of Bihar. Important aspects of the village studies will be as follows:

- We intend to conduct the field survey in 2 districts of Bihar. These districts will be selected

on the basis of their socio-economic characteristics and dalit population.

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- Apart from structured household questionnaire, we will also collect qualitative information

from several households through focus group discussions (FGDs) on various aspects of socio-

economic development of the village.

- Intensive discussions at the village level with various strata of the people, social and

political activists working with development and for, NGOs functionaries, etc. will provide

qualitative information on several aspects like participation, success of PRIs, awareness,

initiatives by different groups.

- The detailed analysis of the functioning of the women Panchayat representatives in 2

sample districts will be carried out.

- Discussions and interviews were conducted with women Panchayat functionaries with

regard to aspects like devolution of funds, the problems faced by them, relationship with

other aspects of development.

- Discussions were carried out with functionaries of Panchayat Samiti (block level) and

district level PRI functionaries. Selected and relevant government officials at block and

district levels will also be interviewed along with a few politicians.

Methods of data collection

Comparison of Regions

The study has been designed to cover the variances in regions of Bihar to find out possible

factors influencing the status of women Panchayat representatives, which could be useful for

policy making. Research Planning and Field Work

Secondary Research

Along with the planning & scheduling exercise, an extensive research was undertaken to

collect and assimilate secondary information / data on the subject. Information was collected

from various sources namely Internet, libraries, NGOs, magazines, journals, newspapers.

Information about Social Audit and related concepts like Right to Information and Freedom

of Information was also gathered from secondary information. In addition, secondary

research also helped in identifying some of the key stakeholders to be interviewed in various

districts.

Primary Research

Primary research was undertaken in 2 districts in 2 different zones of the state. Field teams

will be mobilised and their schedules were planned. A list of districts and stakeholders were

provided to all the teams. Field teams were provided with detailed briefing on the subject and

the study instruments. The teams were assigned various districts and they proceeded to

undertake the primary survey. The study teams visited the districts, and block headquarters,

and Gram Panchayats to meet various stakeholders. The tools used for collection of primary

information were:

a) In-depth interviews,

b) Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and

c) Interviews.

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The interactions were recorded in study instruments by the teams. The discussions and

interactions were also recorded on tape, which has been later transcribed into English and

used for analysis.

Field Work

Field Work was conducted by qualified researchers, engaged for the purpose and they were

given training on the objectives of the research and the modalities of the fieldwork. 2 teams

of 4 Field Researchers were appointed for each district.

Universe of the study

The study focuses on the scheduled castes. Hence the concentration of their population in the

districts of Bihar has been the main consideration for the purpose of selecting the sample

districts and the respondents. The districts with larger percentage of the scheduled caste

population have greater number of elected PRI members. Based on these consideration 2

districts namely, Gaya and Patna have been selected. 7 SC Panchayats and 3 non SC

Panchayats each have been selected from Patna and Gaya respectively.

Table: 8 Sample of PRI members covered

Name of

Districts

No. of SC

headed

Panchayat

s

No.

of SC

PRIs

No. of non -

SC headed

Panchayats

No. of

non –SC

PRIs

SC

Populatio

n to be

covered

Non Sc

Populati

on to be

covered

Total

Sampl

e Size

1. Patn

a

7

35

3

15

350

150

500

2. Gaya

7

35

3

15

350

150

500

Grand Total- 1000

The area of study has been selected on the basis of various gender based selective indicators,

such as-

Sex ratio, literacy rate- These gender- based indicators will provide us with a comparative

analysis their social status and also would give us a framework for analyzing women’s socio-

economic and political status

∼ Dalit headed Panchayats

∼ Districts (Gaya) affected with caste war & class war

∼ SC Panchayats in Patna- being a part of the state capital it was better to do a comparative

analysis

A small sample of the officials and opinion leaders ten from each district were also

interviewed to elicit their view on the entire process.

Tools for Data Collection

Comprehensive interview schedule was the primary technique to gather necessary

information as to women’s participation and performance. Moreover, we tried to collect

relevant information through informal discussion with villagers and officials and to the extent

possible. Another case study method was taken to observe the real picture of a work done in

the period of the women member. Besides this, focus group discussion was also held.

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Orientation Programme

An orientation programme was organized for the field investigators who were appointed to

carry out the field work. The training was basically to make them understand the concept of

research study, how to administer and canvas the questionnaire followed by a pilot field visit.

The questionnaire designed for the study was explained in detail and they were asked to

clarify their doubts. It was opined that care should be taken about the information of the

status of elected dalit women belonging to SC families. When such women participate in the

gram sabha, the gram Panchayat should help them by providing loans and other facilities by

way of schemes, etc. a field visit was made by the investigators along with the Foundations

staff in order to test the questionnaire and get feedback. The questionnaires filled by the staff

were examined and the clarifications sought were discussed and sorted out.

Analysis, Report Writing & Submission

All information collected from secondary and primary sources were collated and put into

order to provide a logical form for analysis. MS Excel was used to analyse the data and

information from various sources. As the data and information is primarily of qualitative

nature, extra care was taken to ensure that the authenticity and meaning of the same is

presented in undiluted form. The findings from diverse group of respondents were brain

stormed by the Study Team including their recommendations, which were presented under

various sections. The process of report writing was initiated simultaneously along with

analysis of information and data.

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CCCCHAPTER HAPTER HAPTER HAPTER 2222---- SOCIAL PROFILE OF THSOCIAL PROFILE OF THSOCIAL PROFILE OF THSOCIAL PROFILE OF THE E E E 2222 DISTRICTS DISTRICTS DISTRICTS DISTRICTS AND THE AND THE AND THE AND THE

PPPPEOPLEEOPLEEOPLEEOPLE &&&& PPPPANCHAYATANCHAYATANCHAYATANCHAYAT

GGGGAYAAYAAYAAYA

Gaya District is situated in the Southern part of Bihar. It has an average elevation of 111

metres (364 ft). The Dist has 24 blocks & 35 Police Stations & 4 Subdivisions. The total land

area of the district is 4937.75 sq/km, which is about 5% of the total area of Bihar. As of 2001

India census, Gaya had a population of 3,473,428. Males constitute 53% of the population

and females 47%. Gaya has an average literacy rate of 51.07%, lesser than the national

average of 59.5%; male literacy is 63.81%, and female literacy is 37.40%.

The scheduled castes are scattered throughout the state. The bulk of them are located in South

Bihar. The density of their population varies from district to district. They have a high

concentration in the districts of Gaya (29%). According to 2001 Census, Gaya district has

29.6% Scheduled caste population of which 94.6% live in the villages and only 5.4% are in

urban areas. This is the highest concentration of Scheduled castes in any district in Bihar.

Literacy among the scheduled castes was 26.3% in 2001 in contrast to 60.2% for general

population in the district. Literacy among the scheduled castes in the district was lower than

that of the state (28.5%). Gaya district had 36.8% working population in 2001 out of which

28.6 were main workers and 8.2 were marginal workers. While the percentage of working

population in rural areas was 38.7, it was only 25.2% in urban areas of Gaya.

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Table 9: Demographic and social indicators of Gaya

Indicators Gaya Bihar

Area (km2 ) Population

(in Lakh)

4976 94163

% of S.C.

Population

34.6 828.6

Population

Density

696 880

Sex ratio 937 921

Child sex ratio 957

Total literacy 51.0 47.5

SC Literacy 26.3 28.5

Development Blocks 18

Number of towns 5

% of Urban population 13.7 10.5

% of Working population 36.8

Total no. of Gram

Panchayat

333

The figures above show that the district varies on different indicators. Gaya has a higher

scheduled caste population, higher sex ratio, and higher literacy rate than the state average.

Table 10: Profile of Panchayat covered under the study in Gaya

Block Bodh

Gaya

Gaya

Town CD

Block

Bodh

Gaya

Gaya

Town CD

Block

Gaya Town

CD Block

Gaya Town

CD Block

Bodh

Gaya

Bodh

Gaya

Manpur Bodh

Gaya

Village/Panchayat Atiya Aurawan Bakraur Bara Kesru

Dharampur

Mandanbigha Mocharim Moratal Nawada Parariya

Household

676

447

499

596

525

491

1,272

303

114

333

Total Population 4,335 3,119 3,308 5,223 3,618 2,885 7,621 1,933 713 2,214

Male 2,236 1,652 1,663 2,729 1,838 1,497 3,963 969 369 1,139

Female 2,099 1,467 1,645 2,494 1,780 1,388 3,658 964 344 1,075

Total SC 1,223 902 1,238 708 1,028 1,318 2,634 554 350 1,163

Male 636 488 615 364 524 686 1,327 267 190 586

Female 587 414 623 344 504 632 1,307 287 160 577

Sex Ratio (females

per 1000 males)

939 888 989 914 968 927 923 995 932 944

SC Sex Ratio 923 848 1013 945 962 921 985 1075 842 985

Literacy Rate 41.4 43.3 51.1 61.8 41.6 46.7 50.6 52.6 31.4 36.7

Literacy rate

(male)

54.8 56.5 60.3 68.8 50.3 58.4 64.8 69.4 48.0 49.7

Literacy rate

(female)

27.0 27.9 41.8 54.0 32.4 33.8 35.3 36.2 12.8 22.3

Illiteracy Rate 85.4 80.0 74.5 63.1 88.7 84.8 72.1 70.1 95.7 88.8

Illiteracy Rate

(male)

71.4 65.0 65.2 54.8 78.1 71.3 58.3 54.9 76.7 73.7

Illiteracy Rate

(female)

100.4 97.4 83.9 72.3 100.0 99.8 86.8 85.0 117.0 105.3

Number of

literates

1,416 1,095 1,346 2,585 1,156 1,025 3,143 829 176 647

Number of

literates (Male)

971 768 799 1,519 720 674 2,085 541 142 459

Number of

literates (Females)

445 327 547 1,066 436 351 1,058 288 34 188

Number of

illiterates

2,919 2,024 1,962 2,638 2,462 1,860 4,478 1,104 537 1,567

Number of

illiterates (Male)

1,265 884 864 1,210 1,118 823 1,878 428 227 680

Number of

illiterates

(Females)

1,654 1,140 1,098 1,428 1,344 1.037 2,600 676 310 887

Work

Participation Rate

(%)

38.3 33.4 39.1 30.0 42.9 38.6 38.1 38.0 55.0 40.2

Work

Participation Rate

(%) Male

47.9 46.7 50.6 42.4 52.9 45.0 49.4 49.0 56.6 51.4

Work

Participation Rate

(%) Female

28.1 18.3 27.5 16.5 32.6 31.6 25.9 26.9 53.2 28.4

Figures as per the 2001 Census

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PPPPATNAATNAATNAATNA

The state of Bihar is perhaps one of India’s richest archives of history. Since ancient days, it

has been a cradle of prosperity for various civilizations. For what the world aspires to achieve

in a distant future, Bihar has only to look into its past. Patna, one of the thirty five districts of

the present state of Bihar, shares the same sketch. Paṭnā is the capital of the Indian state of

Bihar, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world. The modern city of

Patna lies on the southern bank of the Ganges. The city also straddles the rivers Kosi, Sone

and Gandak. The population is 1.8 million people. Patna is approximately 25 km long and 9

km to 10 km wide. Apart from being the administrative centre of the state and its historic

importance, the city is also a major educational and medical centre. The walled old area,

called Patna City by the locals, is a major trading centre.

Demographics

The population of Patna is over 1,885,470. The population density is 1132 persons per square

kilometre. There are 839 females to every 1,000 males. The overall literacy rate is 62.9%, and

the female literacy rate is 50.8%.Many languages are spoken in Patna. Hindi is the official

language. The native dialect is Magadhi or Magahi, named after Magadha, the ancient name

of Bihar. Dialects from other regions of Bihar spoken widely in Patna are Angika, Bhojpuri,

and Maithili. Other languages widely spoken in Patna include Bengali, Oriya, and English.

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Table 11: Demographic profile


The literacy rate is 63.82 %. The female literacy rate of Patna is 52.17. According to the

government, out-of-school rate in the age group 6-14 was 6.3% in 2007, a big drop from 12.8

per cent in 2006.

PARAMETERS

PARTICULARS

Population 47,09,851 (2001 Census)

Male 25,14,949

Female 21,94,902

Schedule Caste (SC) 7,30,026

Muslim 7.8%

Schedule Tribe (ST) 960

BPL Population 1422375

Sex Ratio 873 : 1000

Literacy Rate (%) 63.82 %

Male (%) 73.18 %

Female (%) 52.17 %

Total No of blocks 23

No. of PHCs 23

Total Number of Anganwadi centres

(Sanc./Functional)

3937/3652

No. of electrified villages 567

No. of villages having access to safe drinking

water

599

No of villages having motorable roads 370

Table 12: Profile of Panchayat covered under the study in Patna

Block Punpun Dhanarua Dinapur-

Cum-

Khagaul

Naubatpur Patna

Rural

Patna

Rural

Patna

Rural

Naubatpur Phulwari Patna

Rural

Village/Panchayat Dariyapur Gobindpur Jamsaut Karanja Badalpura

(OG) -

Ward

No.40

Mirchi Sabalpur Sabar

Chak

Sakraicha Sonawan

Household

145

90

1,413

440

103

607

2,040

254

577

386

Total Population 713 669 8,696 2,612 732 4,326 14,250 1,480 3,311 2,790

Male 371 363 4,606 1,406 402 2,328 7,992 769 1,726 1,502

Female 342 306 4,090 1,206 330 1,998 6,258 711 1,585 1,288

Total SC 377 190 2,292 676 14 918 2,034 456 1,472 542

Male 194 102 1,203 361 9 483 1,112 243 746 300

Female 183 88 1,089 315 5 435 922 213 726 242

Sex Ratio (females

per 1000 males)

922 843 888 858 821 858 783 925 918 858

SC Sex Ratio 974 863 905 873 556 901 829 877 973 807

Literacy Rate 29.2 54.5 50.9 45.0 84.9 49.4 45.6 46.8 44.6 44.0

Literacy rate

(male)

38.6 60.5 62.0 57.3 94.0 64.4 58.8 63.6 56.5 59.7

Literacy rate

(female)

18.8 47.0 38.4 30.5 74.3 31.4 28.7 29.4 31.6 25.5

Illiteracy Rate 98.4 65.0 73.6 82.4 33.7 78.0 79.9 76.1 78.9 83.5

Illiteracy Rate

(male)

88.1 56.3 62.0 70.0 26.7 61.2 66.3 61.5 67.0 67.1

Illiteracy Rate

(female)

109.8 75.9 86.9 96.8 41.9 98.2 97.4 91.3 91.9 102.7

Number of

literates

163 305 3,557 922 524 1,678 5,180 564 1,196 963

Number of

literates (Male)

113 188 2,303 633 313 1,194 3,755 391 790 707

Number of

literates (Females)

50 117 1,254 289 211 484 1,425 173 406 256

Number of

illiterates

550 364 5,139 1,690 208 2,648 9,070 916 2,115 1,827

Number of

illiterates (Male)

258 175 2,303 773 89 1,134 4,237 378 936 795

Number of

illiterates

(Females)

292 189 2,836 917 119 1,514 4,833 538 1,179 1,032

Work

Participation Rate

(%)

41.5 36.8 30.1 46.4 22.4 40.3 26.4 43.0 39.2 28.7

Work

Participation Rate

(%) Male

53.9 49.6 45.7 55.3 37.8 54.1 40.7 53.2 50.8 43.1

Work

Participation Rate

(%) Female

28.1 21.6 12.4 36.2 3.6 24.2 8.1 31.9 26.6 12.0


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Table 13: The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 1976

SOME PROMINENT SCHEDULE CASTES IN BIHAR

Chamar

The Chamar is a scheduled caste with an all India spread. Their population in Bihar in 1981

was about 30 lakhs. Later Census reports do not provide caste-wise population. being largely

landless they are employed as leather tanners and cobblers. Some of them have small land

holdings. They also work as labourers in agriculture, forest, industry etc. Most of their

women supplement family income by working as midwives. Their literacy rate in 1981 was

as low as 12% and female literacy was 2.36%. Now they have started paying attention to

education.

Dusadh

The Dusadh in Bihar are predominantly agricultural labourers. They were palanquin bearers

in the past and they claim to be Gehlot Kshatriya. They were generally employed as village

watchmen and choukidars by local landlords and later on by the government also. They are

the second largest Dalit caste in the state. They are politically very influential. Their literacy

rate was less than 13% and female literacy was less than 3%.

Dhobi

The Dhobi are traditionally the washer man caste. Some of them own land and are engaged in

agricultural. In addition to their traditional occupation of washing clothes, they work in

different sectors as labourers. Their literacy rate in 1981 was about 19% but their female

literacy rate was less than 6%.

Pasi

The Pasi are toddy tappers and trace their origin to the sage Bhrigu. They are distributed in

most districts of Bihar. The Pasi have taken tremendous stride in development and have

entered government service in large numbers.

Scheduled Castes in Bihar

1 Bantar

2 Bauri

3 Bhogta

4 Bhuiya

5 Bhumij (excluding North Chotanagpur

and South Chotanagpur divisions and

Santal Parganas district)

6 Chamar, Mochi

7 Chaupal

8 Dabgar

9 Dhobi

10 Dom, Dhangad

11 Dusadh, Dhari, Dharhi

12 Ghasi

13 Halalkhor

14 Hari, Mehtar, Bhangi

15 Kanjar

16 Kurariar

17 Lalbegi

18 Musahar

19 Nat

20 Pan, Sawasi

21 Pasi

22 Rajwar

23 Turi

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Musahar

The Musahar and the Bhuiya are kindred communities found in most districts of Bihar.

Musahar literally means rate-trappers and rat caters and their name is derived from it. The

Musahar can at best be considered a hunter community like other hunting communities such

as Kakmara, Baghmara etc found in different parts of the country. The Musahar is indeed the

most backward caste. The bulk of them were agricultural labourers. The Musahar are at the

lowest in literacy. Despite the efforts made by the government, education has reached a very

small percentage. The caste got its first graduate in pre-independence India. The Musahar

woman representative in the Parliamentary politics was Mrs. Bhagwatia Devi. She was

inspired by Ram Manohar Lohia and started her political career with socialist ideology. She

became a member of Bihar Legislative Assembly and later Member of Parliament from

Rastriya Janta Dal. She worked for the upliftment of village schools and rural roads. The

Musahar are considered the lowliest of the low even today.

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CHAPTER 3- PROFILE OF THE RESPONDENTS

While studying the socio-economic background of the respondents, age, education,

occupation, marital status, and residence before and after marriage are taken as important

factors. The respondents interviewed for the study comprise the scheduled caste community

from SC headed and the Non SC headed Panchayat to make a comparative analysis. SC and

Non SC elected women members of Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samitis, and Wards from 2

districts of Bihar. They are drawn from the posts of Mukhias, Gram Panchayat members,

Pramukhs, Sarpanch, Ward members and Panchayat Samiti members. Altogether 1000

persons have been interviewed. Their distribution by posts and sex is given in chart below.

It is seen from the chart that a total of 500 respondents each were interviewed in Gaya and

Patna respectively. It included 315 respondents each from SC community and 135 from Non

SC community in Gaya and Patna. A total number 7 SC and 3 Non SC Panchayats were

covered in Gaya and Patna.

Table 14: Total number of PRIs covered

PATNA GAYA Grand Total

Total number

of PRIs

covered in SC

Headed

Panchayat

Total number of

PRIs covered in

Non-SC Headed

Panchayat

Total number

of PRIs

covered in

SC Headed

Panchayat

Total number of

PRIs covered in

Non-SC Headed

Panchayat

SC Non-Sc

35 15 35 15 70 30

100 PRIs covered

A total number of 100 PRIs were covered which comprised of 35 PRIs from SC headed Panchayat

and 15 PRIs from Non SC headed Panchayat were covered from both districts respectively.

Table 15: Posts held by PRIs covered in the study

PATNA GAYA

SC

PRIs

Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC PRIs Total

Ward

member

15

6

2

-

23

Sarpanch 2 4 4 10

Mukhiya 9 2 6 3 20

Gram

Panchayat

Member

8 5 21 6 40

Panch

member

1 1 2 1 5

Panchayat

samiti

member

1 1 2

Total 35 15 35 15 100

23 Ward members, 10 Mukhiyas, 40 GP members, 5 Panch members and 2 Panchayat Samiti

members were covered from both districts.

Source: Field Survey


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Table 16: Age wise distribution of Respondents

Age is a very important factor, which has greater influence on affecting political participation.

There is a general view that young and middle aged participates actively in institutions. In the

opinion of Nie, Verba and Kim, Age has a greater impact on political participation. According to

them, participation arises in early year’s picks in middle ages and falls in latter ages. Another

author like Narayan Pillai has also the same view.

PATNA GAYA

SC

PRIs

Non SC

PRIs

Total SC PRIs

Non SC PRIs

Total

Grand

Total

21-30 10 3 13 7 3 10 23

31-40 14 10 24 18 7 25 49

41-50 6 2 8 7 5 12 20

50 + 5 0 5 3 0 3 08

So, middle age groups 31-40 years have a greater participation among women in the Panchayat.

Women at this stage are free from household responsibilities. Old women (50+) have a lesser

representation in our samples. It proves that these aged women have less interest in this activity.

Thus more and more young people can be drawn into electoral process and political awareness and

aspiration are likely to increase. The presence of young women in considerable number points

some indication of social change in rural society. While a few decade earlier younger women were

shut out from public exposure, it is now quite possible for them to come to centre-stage of public

activities.

Table 17: Educational Qualification of the respondents

PATNA GAYA

SC

PRIs

Non SC

PRIs

Total SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

Total Grand Total

Literate 14 2 16 14 8 22 38

Illiterate 3 4 7 9 4 13 20

Drop-outs

Up to 5th 3 2 5 2 1 3 8

5TH-8TH

class

6 2 8 2 1 3 11

Matric 3 2 5 1 1 6

Non-Matric 6 1 7 4 1 5 12

Inter 2 2 2 2 4

Graduate 1 1 1

Post

Graduate

0

Higher educational level of citizen is an important prerequisite for greater role in political process1.

Education enables one to act rationally. Some previous study shows that higher education leads to

greater commitment. In the opinion of Jorgan, education is not to be regarded as an important

factor for political participation. Duverger is convinced that education is the most decisive factor

for women’s political participation. For the purpose of our study, women leaders in the sample are

divided into nine categories. Member with elementary (5th

class or below), secondary (5th –10th

class), intermediate and higher education category, literate and illiterate. From the above data it is

clear that literate women have a greater representation followed by the illiterates. There was only

1 SC Graduate PRI in Gaya. So according to this the literates should have greater role in

1 International Encyclopedia of Social Science.1968.VOL 15,Macmillan(p.250)


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developmental work. 1 is Graduate and 12 are non matriculate. There are no Post graduates in the

samples covered in our study.

Table 18: Caste wise Distribution of the Respondent

PATNA GAYA

SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs covered (%) 65 40 66 53

Other PRIs covered

(%)

35 60 34 47

Total

100 100 100 100

Caste and politics influence each other. The electoral process, administration and politics are

greatly affected by caste. Caste has its hold in the Indian politics. According to M.N. Srinivas,

voting preferences are made on caste line. From the above data it is found that women from the

reserved category are participating in greater number which may change the equation in

Panchayat electoral politics. Reservation of seats and posts for them has been the main reason

for the prominence of SCs. But, how many SCs women have been elected from the unreserved

seats can only establish the phenomenal presence of reserved women.

Table 19: Specific categories in SC

It is evident that four scheduled castes viz. the Chamar, Pasi, Bhangi, Kahar and the Musahar

have high representation in the Gram Panchayat. Musahars are the poorest of the poor. The

representation of Chamar female members in the Panchayat is considerably high. Others have

a fewer representation in the Panchayati Raj Institution because of their low population.

PATNA GAYA

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

Total

%

Dusadh 4.37 17.39 21.76 5.44

Pasi 21.76 8.7 37.5 67.96 16.98

Thakur 4.37 4.37 1.07

Chamar 17.39 50 17.39 12.5 97.28 24.5

Mushar 13 16.67 8.69 38.36 9.59

Dhobi 4.35 4.35 1.08

Koeri

chandrawanshi

Paswan 26 26 6.5

Bhangi 4.37 50 54.37 13.5

Razak

Kahar 4.37 33.33 4.35 42.05 10.5

Kumhar 8.69 8.69 2.16

Bhun 21.74 21.74 5.43

Kuswaha 4.35 4.35 1.08

Gareri 4.37 4.35 8.72 2.17

So

urc

e: F

ield

Su

rvey

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Table 20: Marital Status

PATNA GAYA

SC

PRIs

Non SC PRIs Total SC PRIs Non SC PRIs Total Grand Total

Married 33 15 48 33 15 48 96

Unmarried

Divorced

Widow 2 2 2 2 4

Total 35 15 50 35 15 50 100

Above data show that most of the women leaders about 96% of the women are married and

dependent on their husbands and though they are members of Panchayat have togo for daily wages.

Land Holding The most permanent source of income is land holding. The land holdings and total income of their

families are as follows:

Table 21: Land Holding

PATNA GAYA

SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs Non SC PRIs

Landless 43 6.5 11 7

Less than 1 acre 40 87 63 73

1-5 acre 15 6.5 20 20

5+ acres 2 6

Total (%) 100 100 100 100

The scheduled castes in Bihar are generally landless. Those who possess land are mainly Bataidars

(sharecroppers) and marginal / small farmers. The same is the case with female respondents also.

40% SC PRIs in Patna and 63% in Gaya have less than 1 acre of land. It was surprising to find that

in Gaya larger number of SC PRIs possess 1-5 acre of land in comparison to PRIs in Patna. About

43% of them in Patna are landless and most of those having land possess uneconomic holdings.

This is also well reflected from their main occupation.

Table 22: Source of Income

From the above data, it shows that average of the most of the women leaders’ family is very

miserable, i.e., between Rs. 10,000 – Rs. 20,000 annually. Others are in the category of less than

10, 000 annually. Therefore, it has a greater impact on the women leaders in engaging in political

activity of that Panchayat.

Source of Income

PATNA GAYA

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

Total %

Less than

10,000

62.86 13.33 11.42 87.61 21.9

10,001-

20,000

31.43 73.34 86.71 93.33 284.81 71.21

20,001 –

30,000

5.71 13.33 1.87 6.67 27.58 6.89

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100




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Table 23: Cards Held

PATNA GAYA

SC

PRIs

Community Non

SC

PRIs

Community SC

PRIs

Community Non

SC

PRIs

Community Total %

APL 42.9 17.15 60 20 42.85 15.56 46.67 5.18 250.26 31.28

BPL 54.3 69.2 40 61.48 55.28 56.5 46.67 38.51 421.92 52.84

No

Cards

2.9 13.65 18.52 1.87 12.7 6.66 15.56 71.86 8.91

No

Response

15.24 40.75 55.99 6.97

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 800.03 100

As high as 54.3 percent SC PRIs in Patna come from BPL. 55.28 percent SC PRIs in Gaya are BPL the

poverty line. Only 42.9 percent SC PRIs in Patna and 42.85 percent SC PRIs in Gaya are in the APL

category.

Table 24: Occupation Pattern of Women Leader

Occupation is an important aspect of participation. Above data shows that though they are members of

Panchayat 50% have to go for daily wages. Others are engaged in domestic work. It states these leaders

have to be influenced by their relatives and community in every aspect which have an indirect

implication towards political participation in that locality. This also indicates that women leaders joined

politics after their marriage in the context of our study.

Table 25: Does the Panchayat & Respondents have the following infrastructural

facilities?

PATNA GAYA

SC

PRI

s Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community %

Source of water

Tap inside

household 8.57 0.95 20 16.3 0 0.95 5.19 6.49

Hand pump

85.7

1 71.75 73.33 71.11 100 92.06 100 70.37 83.04

Tap outside

household 5.72 25.4 6.67 12.59 0.64 24.44 9.44

PATNA GAYA

SC

PRIs

Community Non

SC

PRIs

Community SC

PRIs

Community Non

SC

PRIs

Community Total %

Agriculture 40 3.18 6.66 0.75 8.57 0.31 2.3 61.77 7.72

Domestic

Work

17.14 6.35 20 48.58 26.04 40 14.3 172.41 21.56

Business 11.11 26.67 2.85 40.63 5.07

Wage labor 42.86 79.36 46.67 99.25 40 73.65 60 83.4 525.19 65.65

Other

No

Response

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 800 100




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Well 1.9 6.35 1.03

Others

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Source of light and fire

SC

PRIs

Communi

ty

Non SC

PRIs Community

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community %

Electricity 34.29 37.46 66.67 34.07 17.14 23.7

Solar 2.85 2.22 6.66 2.22 8.15 2.76

Oil lamp 62.86 60.32 26.67 63.71 82.86 100 100 91.85 73.54

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Source of

fuel

SC

PRIs Community

Non

SC

PRIs Community

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community %

Firewood 94.28 38.09 33.33 43.7 100 41.27 100 25.18 43.1

Gasoline 5.72 0.95 53.33 21.48 24.44 3.7 4.7

Kerosene &

firewood 60.96 13.34 8.15 22.22 31.2

Solar &

charcoal 14.07 1.9

Coal &

Kerosene 34.29 16.29 13

Charcoal &

Kerosene 26.67 18.54 6.1

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Sanitation facility

SC

PRIs Community

Non

SC

PRIs Community

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community %

Toilet facility

Open pit

inside

household 5.71 4.12 33.33 9.62 2.85 10.48 13.33 19.25

12.3

4

Open ditch or

field 94.29 95.88 66.67 90.38 97.15 89.52 86.67 57.03

84.6

9

Shared with

other

household 23.72 2.97

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Type of House

SC

PRIs

Community

Non

SC

PRIs

Community

SC

PRIs

Community

Non SC

PRIs

Community %

Kuccha 57.14 63.17 26.67 37.03 71.43 47.62 60 41.48 50.57

Pucca 40 18.73 66.66 51.11 28.57 8.57 40 34.07 35.96

Hut 2.86 18.1 6.67 11.86 43.81 24.45 13.47

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Ownership

SC

PRIs Community

Non

SC

PRIs Community

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community %

Own 20 98.09 6.67 99.26 100 100 6.67 100 66.33

Rented house 80 1.91 93.33 0.74 0 93.33 33.67

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

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The data above shows that 87 percent of both SC and Non SC PRIs in Patna and 100 percent SC and Non

SC PRIs in Gaya use hand pumps as the source of water. Very few PRIs in Patna have taps inside their

house, whereas in Gaya there is no tap water inside the house of PRIs.

Altogether 34.29 percent SC PRIs and 66.67 percent Non SC PRIs in Patna district and only 17.14

percent SC PRIs in Gaya have electricity in their home. In comparison to SC and Non SC community in

Patna the SC and Non SC community in Gaya have no electricity. 82.86 percent SC PRIs and 100

percent Non SC PRIs in Gaya use oil lamps. Here we find that there is no benefit to SC PRIs or SC

household. Our results suggest that having a reserved Mukhiya does not mean that they are getting the

ultimate benefit.

94.28 percent SC PRIs in Patna and 100% SC and Non SC PRIs in Gaya use firewood as a source of fuel.

53.33 percent Non SC PRIs compared to 5.72 percent SC PRIs in Patna have the privilege to use

gasoline. There is a very sorry state of the PRIs in SC and Non SC community in Gaya as none of them

have gasoline compared to the 24.44 percent community which has gasoline.

Toilet facility seems to be very poor in both the districts which is clearly visible in the data provided

above- 90 out of 100 PRIs use open ditch or field.

Another question regarding their house condition which is social indicator is as follows:

Type of houses of the respondents as shown above reveals their living conditions. So, most of the women

leaders, about 40% SC PRIs compared to 66.66 percent Non SC PRIs in Patna live in pucca house,

whereas only 28.57% SC PRIs and 40% Non SC PRIs in Gaya live in Pucca house which is not a

positive sign. When someone lives in a good house, it will definitely increase his/her potentialities in

their respective fields. It is to be mentioned that some houses of those women leaders are built with

Indira Awaas Yojana. The majority of SC PRIs in both the districts live in mud or kuchcha houses with

thatched roof. Only 20 percent SC PRIs in Patna and 6.67 percent Non SC PRIs live in their own houses

in comparison to their SC counterparts (100%) in Gaya. This is really surprising. They claim that it had

been provided to them under the Indira Awas Yojana. 80 percent SC PRIs in Patna and 93.33% Non SC

PRIs in Gaya and Patna live in rented house.

So, socio-economic condition of women leaders is a cause and concern as it is linked with the role

perception. If they are economically poor, they may not think of about the development of the Panchayat.

Our policy makers, who have in mind putting reservation is that to develop both women and Panchayat

through various measures. Mere representation is not a real solution to it, what we found from our

previous analysis is that in every aspect socially, economically they are weak.

Political Experience

The pre-existing political experience of women has a greater relevance with the role as representative in

political institution. It provides a picture about women leaders of the Panchayat.

Table 26: Political Background of the Respondent

PATNA GAYA

What was your age when you first started taking interest in the political & public affairs?

SC

PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs Non SC PRIs Total %

21-30 54.29 66.67 31.42 46.67 199.05 49.76

31-40 22.86 20 42.85 20 105.71 26.43


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41-50 14.28 13.33 17.15 33.33 78.09 19.52

50+ 8.57 8.58 17.15 4.29

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

Was there any important event that attracted you to politics

SC


Yes 60 33.33 11.43 104.76 26.19

No 40 66.67 88.57 100 295.24 73.81

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

Was anyone in the family nominated earlier

SC


Yes 20 40 8.57 13.33 81.9 18

No 80 60 91.43 86.67 318.1 82

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

Before reservation in the election did you ever get nominated

SC


Yes 5.71 0 11.43 33.33 50.47 11

No 94.29 100 88.57 66.67 349.53 89

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

Did you participate actively in politics before election

SC


Yes 5.71 0 2.86 13.33 21.9 5

No 94.29 100 97.14 86.67 378.1 95

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

Did you feel benefited after reservation

SC


Yes 62.86 80 85.71 100 328.57 79

No 37.14 20 14.29 0 71.43 21

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

Did you receive support from the community during election

SC


Yes 97.14 100 100 100 397.14 99.28

No 2.86 2.86 0.72

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

Currently associated political [party

SC


Yes 17.14 6.67 2.86 20 46.67 11.67

No 82.86 93.33 97.14 80 353.33 88.33

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

Have you held positions in the party

SC


Yes 8.57 6.67 15.24 3.81

No 91.43 93.33 100 100 384.76 96.19

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

Did you fill the SC Non SC PRIs SC PRIs Non SC PRIs Total %

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nomination form on your own

PRIs

Yes 45.71 33.33 22.86 26.67 128.57 32.14

No 54.29 66.67 77.14 73.33 271.43 67.86

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

Did you received the full support from the family

SC


Yes 100 100 100 100 400 100

No 0 0 0 0 0

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

Difficulties faced during the campaign

SC


Yes 20 13.33 33.33 8.33

No 80 86.67 100 100 366.67 91.67

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

Did you receive support from any political party

SC


Yes 22.86 20 42.86 10.71

No 77.14 100 100 80 357.14 89.29

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

Did you face economic constraint during the election

SC


Yes 37.14 93.33 100 100 330.47 82.62

No 62.86 6.67 69.53 17.38

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

Political Background

When asked as to what was their age when they first started taking interest in the political &

public affairs, 49.76% SC and Non SC PRIs in both the districts said that they were in the age

group of 21-30 years. 88.33% respondents said that they were not associated with any political

party. 82% PRIs in SC and Non SC category said that no other member from their family was

nominated earlier to any post of Panchayat. 89% of the PRIs said that they were never nominated

before reservation. It is found from the above data that more than 95% of the women members

had no pre-existing political experience before entering into the Panchayat office. Only 5%

members had a previous political experience before becoming a member to Panchayat. 79% PRIs

in both SC and Non SC agreed that they felt more benefited after 50% reservation. 99.28% of the

respondents said that they received support from the community during election. They received all

desired help, co-operation, and encouragement during the election. Very few respondents also got

necessary financial help from their supporters. Only 3.81% said that they held positions in the

party. Box 4

The principle of inducting a large number of women through affirmative action in rural local

bodies raises two basic questions. The first is the question of their capacity to effectively represent

general interest of the community and second more specifically, their capacity to conceptualize

and effectively represent the interest of the women in community. In interviews, the most basic

problem with political efficacy appear to be handicaps which are typical in low income, rural

settings but which are compounded in the case of women. These handicaps typically have to do

with the lack of education, articulation and self-confidence.

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In large number of cases even when the women interviewed, it was their first exposure to a

political role. Out of twenty-one women leaders interviewed, we found only 5% members had a

previous political experience before becoming a member to Panchayat, otherwise all others were

new entrants in fact.

Pre election scenario

Only 32.14% PRIs said that they filled the nomination form on their own while a whopping

67.86% of them took assistance in filling up the form. 100% said that they received support from

their family. 91.67% said that they did not face difficulties during the campaign & election in

comparison to the 8.33% respondents. Of all the elected representatives interviewed, 90 percent

said they did not face any problem at the time of filing their first nomination. An explanation for

this could be that they were contesting on Reserved - and therefore somewhat less competitive -

seats. Another reason could be that their male relatives had taken care of potential

challenges.They said that some people discouraged the respondents from contesting the elections.

They even put pressure on candidates to withdraw from the election. A handful of persons even

campaigned against them. Some of the respondents reported lack of funds. Lack of conveyance

for campaigning and lack of personal security was also mentioned. Surprisingly these 8.33% PRIs

were from Patna district. 100% respondents in Gaya said that they did not face difficulties during

the campaign & election. Only 10.71% respondents said that they received support from any

political party. 82.62% respondents said that they faced economic constraint during the election. Box 5

The question posed to many of the women ‘What made you seek election’ has different

interpretation in their response. Most of the answers concentrate on the role of husband, women

quota and villagers. Most of the elected members clarified that their husbands persuaded them to

contest election and villagers backed it later on.

Box 6

Another interesting finding came out asking them ‘Whether they have attended the meeting in

which their candidature was finalized for election?’ the answer was simply pessimistic. They told

that ‘How come we will talk/stand before our brother in laws (elders to their husband) in a public

place?’ The village meetings of male members finalized their candidature. It is very strange, as the

one who is contesting the election did not attend the meeting where their candidatures were

finalized.

The table 27 on the next page reveals the record of social service of respondents before the

election by participation in the affairs of the village or solving their problems of the people.

Table 27: Types of pre-election activities PATNA GAYA

Types of pre-election activities

SC

PRIs

Non SC PRIs SC

PRIs

Non SC PRIs Total %

Providing monetary help 0 0 0 0 0 0

Solving disputes 2.86 0 0 0 2.86 0.71

Meeting people to solve their

problems & Participation in

public affairs

40 53.33 14.29 46.67 154.29 38.59

Meeting people to solve their

problems & Solving disputes

0 0 40 20 60 15

No response 8.57 33.34 20 20 81.91 20.47

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100


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The data suggests that only 38.59% of the respondents were in contact with the people and were

sharing the problems of the villagers. 20.47% of the respondents did not report any social activity.

Table 28: Difficulties faced during election

PATNA GAYA

Difficulties faced during election

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC PRIs Total %

Discouragement 14.28 14.28 3.57

Wrong propaganda by

opponents

8.58 8.58 2.14

Lack of funds 48.58 26.67 75.25 18.81

Problems in filling up

nomination paper &

Lack of funds

73.33 46.67 120 30

Discouragement & lack

of fund

11.43 11.43 2.86

Wrong propaganda by

opponents, lack of fund

& Booth capturing

14.28 14.28 3.57

Wrong propaganda by

opponents, lack of fund

& Lack of security

14.28 14.28 3.57

Problems in filling up

nomination paper, Booth

capturing & lack of

security

88.57 53.33 141.9 35.48

Convincing voters

100 100 100 100 400 100

It is found that some people (3.57%) discouraged the respondents from contesting the

elections. They even put pressure on candidates to withdraw from the election. A handful of

persons even campaigned against them. Wrong propaganda by opponents, lack of funds were

another difficulties cited by the women. A large number (35.48%) of the respondents

reported problems in filling up nomination paper, booth capturing & lack of security.

Finally……………………………

In the case of majority women members, the respective husbands had to be brought in even

when there was a need for a member to sign papers. Questions like ‘whom do you give credit

to win this election? From which sources you are being informed about political events?’

Most of them have a single answer that is ‘through husband. When the team asked women

elected leaders that ‘What had been the major projects in the Panchayat after her election?

They were even unable to give the information. Theses disabilities were compounded by the

fact that many of these women owed their elected position to their husband or influential

politician or person. Given the low profile of the women in Panchayat matters, it was

relatively easy for these persons to dominate the Panchayat from behind the scene. In this

context, the team had a question to all the elected members in the Panchayat ‘After entering

Panchayat office, have you ever faced a situation in which your husband forced you to sign

or implement certain Panchayat matters in his wish?’ With this, majority responses have no

exception rather tallying ‘yes’ with husbands ‘yes’.

So

urc

e: F

ield

Su

rvey

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So majority elected women leaders state that they contested election due to pressure from

husband. Only a 2 or 3 say that they come to the fray on their own and claims that they even

can contest election even if there will be no quota system.

It became clear that a woman enters politics due to the compulsory policy of reservation.

Women are from middle age group. Majorities (70%) of the sample are between (21-50

years). A majority of them are with primary education. They are all married women. As to

the social background women respondent’s family, some sorts of educational attainment were

not seen. From occupational standpoint, 65.65% of the sample depends upon daily labor

followed by 21.56% in domestic work. Then, regarding their landholding, 73% respondents

have a land of below one acre that is miserable and average annual income (71.21%) from the

land is R10000/ 20000. As to the previous political experience, 95% has no previous political

experience and 5% of the sample has certain political experience like addressing a political

rally.

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CHAPTER 4- ROLE OF ELECTED WOMEN REPRESENTATIVES

It is for sure that without the system of reservation women would have had little role to play

in grassroots politics in India. Surveys show that 95% of women representatives claimed they

would never come to acquire positions in Panchayat, if there were no reserved seats (Centre

for Women’s Development Studies 1999). Reservation has at least succeeded in bringing the

womenfolk of rural India into the political forum, and elected women could now imagine

standing against a man in future.

The State of Bihar took the bold step of reserving 50% currently; elected women

representatives occupy 54% of seats in Bihar’s Panchayat. There can be no greater evidence

for the fact that not only have Panchayat attracted women to politics in large numbers, but

also that this wish to contest elections seems to be most keenly felt among the women

belonging to the SCs and STs.

Approximately, 85% EWRs were aware of the 50% reservation for women, eligible age for

voting and contesting election in Panchayati Raj. Almost 89.76% EWRs were aware of their

term of office. It was a promising sign that 63.11% of them knew that State election

Commission conducted the Panchayat election. When asked about the fee for contesting

election for different posts in SC category they were not very clear.

In the examination of the task of women in Panchayat covered under the study, the dilemma

is whether women should work merely for the problems and improvement of women or

whether they would stand for the electorate comprising both women and others. A few

women respondents asserted that they were not in favour of exclusive women’s issue or

cause, they rather tried to work for collective interests of village. Regarding the preference in

selecting beneficiaries for schemes/loans they reportedly tried to act on economic criteria of

poor or caste specified in the guidelines and not definitely into terms of familiarly /gender.

The EWR like their male counterpart are concerned about the development of their people.

But are they able to render help in securing different schemes to the people? Details are given

in table 29 below-

Table 29: Knowledge of Development schemes implemented by Gram Panchayat PATNA GAYA

Swarna Jayanti Gram

Swarojgar yojana

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

Implemented 40 6.03 13.33 2.22 0.95 9.63

Not

Implemented 5.71 6.67 53.33 8.15 88.57 60 100 74.81

No response

Not Aware 54.29 87.3 33.34 89.63 11.43 39.05 15.56

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Jawahar Gram

Samriddhi yojana

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

Implemented 17.14 2.86 13.33 2.96 2.86 5.08 7.41

Not

Implemented 5.71 8.25 53.33 7.41 88.57 68.25 100 62.22

No response

Not Aware 77.15 88.89 33.34 89.63 8.57 26.67 30.37

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100


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Indira Aawas yojana

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

Implemented 91.43 29.84 60 34.81 100 34.92 86.67 17.78

Not

Implemented 5.71 6.03 13.33 12.59 63.17 13.33 68.15

No response

Not Aware 2.86 64.13 26.67 52.6 1.91 14.07

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

MNREGA

SC

PRIs

Community

Non SC

PRIs

Community

SC

PRIs

Community

Non SC

PRIs

Community

Implemented 80 18.41 66.67 11.11 100 29.21 100 20.74

Not

Implemented 11.43 5.08 6.67 12.59 61.9 71.85

No response

Not Aware 8.57 76.51 26.66 76.3 8.89 7.41

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

District rural development

Authority (DRDA)

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

Implemented 2.86 0.32 2.86 2.54 13.33

Not

Implemented 17.14 8.25 2.96 77.14 68.25 100 68.89

No response 5.71 60

Not Aware 74.29 91.43 40 97.04 20 29.21 17.78

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Basic minimum services

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

Implemented 2.86 0.63 0.74 7.31 18.52

Not

Implemented 14.29 99.37 66.67 99.26 82.86 62.22 100 54.07

No response

Not Aware 82.85 33.33 17.14 30.47 27.41

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Credit cum subsidy

schemes for rural housing

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

Implemented 20 0.32 26.67 26.67 0.95 0.74

Not

Implemented 74.28 6.98 40 60 82.86 66.03 100 71.85

No response

Not Aware 5.72 92.7 33.33 13.33 17.14 33.02 27.41

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Sampoorna Gramin Rojgar Yojana

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

Implemented 28.57 1.27 26.67 0.74 28.57 10.16 40 28.15

Not

Implemented 8.57 7.62 40 3.7 54.28 64.44 60 46.67

No response

Not Aware 62.86 91.11 33.33 95.56 17.15 25.4 25.18

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

100

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Pradhanmantri

Gramodaya yojana

(Gramin Aawas)

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

Implemented 20 0.32 6.67 2.86 1.9 2.96

Not

Implemented 14.29 6.35 60 2.22 80 68.57 100 72.59

No response

Not Aware 65.71 93.33 33.33 97.78 17.14 29.53 24.45

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Bihar Rural

Employment Guarantee Schemes

SC

PRIs

Community

Non SC

PRIs

Community

SC

PRIs

Community

Non SC

PRIs

Community

Implemented 42.86 13.65 40 6.67 80 20.32 100 36.3

Not

Implemented 5.71 8.89 26.67 9.63 2.86 50.16 41.48

No response

Not Aware 51.43 77.46 33.33 83.7 17.14 29.52 22.22

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

MP Local Area

Development Programmes

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

SC

PRIs Community

Non SC

PRIs Community

Implemented 11.43 0.63 1.48 3.7

Not

Implemented 25.71 6.98 66.67 1.48 80 65.08 100 73.33

No response

Not Aware 62.86 92.39 33.33 97.04 20 34.92 22.97

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Almost 100 percent SC and Non SC PRIs in Gaya said that Swarna Jayanti Gram

Swarojgar yojana was not being implemented in their district. As far as the community is

concerned very few of them in Patna and Gaya said that the scheme was being implemented.

53.33% Non SC PRIs in Patna and 100% SC and Non SC PRIs in Gaya were of the opinion

that Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar yojana was not being implemented. 60% SC and

74.81% Non SC community in Gaya said that the scheme was not being implemented in their

area. A whopping 54.29% SC PRIs and 87.3% Non SC PRIs in Patna were unaware of any

such scheme being implemented in their district. Even a large number of community

members from both SC and Non SC category were unaware of such a scheme.

When asked about the Jawahar Gram Samriddhi yojana a large number of SC and Non SC

PRIs as well as the community from both categories in Patna were not aware of any such

scheme being implemented. Between 80-100 percent SC and Non SC PRIs and the

community in Gaya said that the scheme was not being implemented in their area.

Indira Aawas yojna according to 91.43% SC PRIs and 60% Non SC PRIs in Patna was

being implemented and their counterparts in Gaya were also of the same view. In comparison

to the EWRs from both categories their community members had a mixed opinion as some

claimed that it was not being implemented while the others said that it was being

implemented in their respective districts.

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80% SC PRIs and 66.67% Non SC PRIs in Patna said that MNREGA was being

implemented in their district. Whereas, a whopping 100% SC and Non SC PRIs in Gaya also

claimed that MNREGA was being implemented. But their Non SC and SC community did

not support their Panchayat representatives’ claim. Almost 77% SC and Non SC community

members in Patna were not even aware of the MNREGA scheme. But there was a sharp

contrast in the views of the community members from SC and Non SC category in Gaya.

Majority of them were aware of the MNREGA scheme.

As far as the Pradhanmantri Gramodaya yojana or Gramin Aawas Yojana, Basic

minimum services, Credit cum subsidy schemes for rural housing, Sampoorna Gramin

Rojgar Yojana, MP Local Area Development Programmes, Bihar Rural Employment

Guarantee Schemes are concerned the study reveals a very poor picture as far as its

implementation or awareness is concerned. Almost majority of the PRIs and community in

both SC and Non SC category in Patna and Gaya said that the scheme was not being

implemented on the ground and a larger number claimed that they were unaware of any such

scheme.

Although 42.86% SC PRIs and 40% Non SC PRIs in Patna and 80-100 percent SC and Non

SC PRIS in Gaya respectively were of the view that Bihar Rural Employment Guarantee

Scheme (BREGS) was being implemented in their areas, the community members in SC and

Non SC category in Gaya district contradicted the views of their elected representatives. 50%

SC and 41.48% Non SC community members in Gaya said that it was not being implemented

in their area. The response of the community members in both categories in Patna confirmed

their PRIs view. A larger percentage of PRIs and community members in both categories in

Patna were even not aware of the scheme.

The EWR who tried to make the people aware of the different schemes and selected

beneficiaries for the schemes and supervised the work done by the Panchayat were very few

in number. This was because they were themselves unaware of different development

schemes and could not create awareness among the community as a result. Some (other

Panchayat representatives) of them brought urgent problems to the notice of Mukhiya for

action. Although the female members attempted to provide services to the people through the

Gram Panchayat, it was not without some difficulties. Apart from the limitation of funds in

the Panchayat, the main obstacle to their functioning came from the lack of awareness

regarding the different schemes. The situation was further confounded by the apathy of

government staff to the problems of the people. They were also constrained by the limited

responsibilities given to them as Panchayat members.

Table 30: Schemes directly intervened by the Gram Panchayat for the benefit of the Dalit

community

Patna Gaya

SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Construction of Indira Awas 3 3 10 8 24

Road Construction/ repair 1 1 0 1 3

Installation of Hand pumps 3 3 5 2 13

Repair of school buildings 0 0 0 0 0

Repair / construction of drains 0 0 0 0 0

Distribution of Red cards 0 0 0 0 0

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The table shows that the scheduled caste community had received benefits of Indira Awas

and road construction and repair schemes. According to 43 out of 100 respondents they were

able to directly provide houses to their community under Indira Awas Yojana.

Table 31: Support of local M. Ps. and M.L.As to the PRIs for the implementation of schemes

Patna Gaya

Involvement & Support extended by the MLA/MP

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

Total

Yes 28.57 20 2.86 6.67 58.1

No 71.43 80 97.14 93.33 341.9

There was no question to take the help of their area MP or MLA as they had no idea as to

what was their role and responsibility regarding the development peogrammes. The scenario

was slightly positive in Gaya. If by any chance a Panchayat representative took her role

seriously and tried to implement a few schemes, it is clear that M.Ps. and M.L.As do not take

the Panchayat representatives into confidence about disbursing the funds allotted to them for

the development of their area. About 20% and 28.57% of the EWR in Patna from Non SC

and SC category respectively sought help of local M.P/ M.L.A. for getting some development

works. They approached them mainly for construction of road, Panchayat bhavan, ponds and

installation of hand pumps. But the picture of EWRs in Gaya was even poorer in comparison

to their counterparts in Patna

One of the FIs asked them, how did you select the work and beneficiary in this programme? He got a

different answer in this regard. Mukhiya has a straight answer in this regard that everything is

finalized in Gram Sabha. Panchayat Samiti member has an answer that is in accordance with the

needs and some political pressures also work. Ward member told that her husband manages all these

and second thing Mukhiya’s voice will work, and they did not have any power in this regard. ‘I have

no influence admits another ward member but she participates in the meeting and she told that it is

totally political and known person gets work in this programme.’ From others, what the FI observed

that they did not participate in meeting except signing in the final decision draft. When he enquired

about beneficiary Panchayat relations and Panchayat follow up help except Mukhiya all other women

leaders have nothing to say.

Box 7

Antyodaya scheme 0 0 0 0 0

Scholarship to students 0 0 0 0 0

Old age pension 1 3 0 0 4

Construction of community hall 0 0 0 0 0

Annapurna scheme 0 0 0 0 0

Construction of Indira Awas &

Road Construction/ repair 19 5 16 3 43


Installation of Hand pumps 5 0 4 1 10


old age pension 3 0 0 0 3

Total 35 15 35 15 100


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Table 32: Benefits to specific groups from development work

Type of Family Patna Gaya

APL Family SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Benefited 0 0 0

Less benefited 85.71 60 85.71 100 82.85

No response

Not Aware 14.29 40 14.29 17.15

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

BPL Family SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Benefited 85.71 60 85.71 100 82.85

Less benefited 0 0

No response

Not Aware 14.29 40 14.29 17.15

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Type of Caste Patna Gaya

General SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Benefited 0 0

Less benefited 85.71 66.67 85.71 100 84.52

No response 0

Not Aware 14.29 33.33 14.29 15.48

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Schedule Caste SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Benefited 82.86 53.34 82.86 100 79.76

Less benefited 5.71 13.33 5.71 6.19

No response

Not Aware 11.43 33.33 11.43 14.05

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Minorities SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Benefited 82.86 33.33 82.86 86.67 71.43

Less benefited 5.71 6.67 5.71 13.33 7.86

No response

Not Aware 11.43 60 11.43 20.71

Total 100 100 100 100 100


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The table shows that the benefits are flowing to SCs and Minorities from development works

being done by them. Caste wise 79.76% SCs and 71.43% Minorities benefited more than any

other castes. When the EWRs were asked as to which groups benefited most from their work,

there answer was that 82.85% BPL families benefited more than the APL. As far as bank

loans are concerned 68.57% members said that SC and Non SC community were less

benefited. 84.29% SC and Non SC said that their community benefited by the old age

pension scheme. As far as the free education, free distribution of books, dress & meals for the

student in the government schools/KGBV & other missionary schools in their Panchayat was

concerned 81.43% SC and Non SC PRIs said that their community was benefited. Two

schemes served to them have been more beneficial than the others. Free education books,

Patna Gaya

Land to landless SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Benefited 0 6.67 2.86 2.38

Less benefited 68.57 60 65.71 93.33 71.9

No response

Not Aware 31.43 33.33 31.43 6.67 25.72

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Bank loans SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Benefited 2.86 6.67 0 6.67 4.05

Less benefited 65.71 60 68.57 80 68.57

No response

Not Aware 31.43 33.33 31.43 13.33 27.38

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Subsidy SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Benefited 0 0 0

Less benefited 68.57 53.33 68.57 86.67 69.28

No response

Not Aware 31.43 46.67 31.43 13.33 30.72

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Free education ,books,

dress & meals for the

student in the government

schools/KGBV & Other

missionary schools in your

Panchayat SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Benefited 82.86 73.33 82.86 86.66 81.43

Less benefited 5.71 5.71 6.67 4.52

No response

Not Aware 11.43 26.67 11.43 6.67 14.05

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Old age pension SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Benefited 88.57 66.67 88.57 93.33 84.29

Less benefited 0 6.67 0 1.67

No response

Not Aware 11.43 26.66 11.43 6.67 14.04

Total 100 100 100 100 100

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dress & meals for the student and Old age pension have large number of beneficiaries. In

spite of the difficulties, the elected members have attempted to provide relief and benefit to

the scheduled caste families in their respective areas.

Table 33: Involvement & Support extended by the Member of Panchayat to their

community

As far as the involvement and support of elected members to their community was concerned

the picture is not very positive. 38.67% of them rarely attended the Gram Sabha. 32.14%

rarely attend the village level meetings. 31.9% had no response when they were asked if they

supervised the development work being implemented in their Panchayat. 33.33% rarely

found any improvement in Standing Committee after the Panchayat election 2006 and

34.53% were hardly able to give any answer. 39.76% rarely worked for the promotion of the

Patna Gaya

Village level meets SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Frequently 11.43 26.67 14.29 20 18.1

Sometime 31.43 33.33 40 6.67 27.86

Rarely 28.57 13.33 40 46.67 32.14

No response 28.57 26.67 5.71 26.66 21.9

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Supervision of the work

implementation SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Frequently 14.29 20 14.29 13.33 15.48

Sometime 14.29 40 34.28 6.67 23.81

Rarely 20 13.33 28.57 53.33 28.81

No response 51.43 26.67 22.86 26.67 31.9

Total 100.01 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Improvement in Standing

committees after elections SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Frequently 5.71 13.33 8.57 20 11.9

Sometime 14.29 26.67 40 0 20.24

Rarely 31.43 20 28.57 53.33 33.33

No response 48.57 40 22.86 26.67 34.53

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Promoting SHGs, women’s

cooperatives SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Frequently 17.14 6.67 11.43 0 8.81

Sometime 20 20 20 0 15

Rarely 20 20 45.71 73.33 39.76

No response 42.86 53.33 22.86 26.67 36.43

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Gram Sabha SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Frequently 14.29 33.33 14.28 20 20.37

Sometime 45.71 26.67 42.86 6.67 30.48

Rarely 31.43 13.33 42.86 66.66 38.67

No response 8.57 26.67 6.67 10.48

Total 100 100 100 100 100


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SHGs and women’s cooperative in their area. Women have been hardly motivated to

participate in the Gram Sabha, to claim their rights and to organise themselves under Self

Help Group scheme. It is also found that the standing committees constituted by the Gram

Panchayat have by and large not been beneficial for the Dalit.

Patna Gaya

Health Issues SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Frequently 28.57 20 14.29 13.33 19.05

Sometime 22.86 40 34.28 13.33 27.62

Rarely 20 13.33 28.57 46.67 27.14

No response 28.57 26.67 22.86 26.67 26.19

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Education SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Frequently 20 13.33 14.29 6.67 13.57

Sometime 22.86 40 34.28 20 29.29

Rarely 31.43 13.33 28.57 40 28.33

No response 25.71 33.34 22.86 33.33 28.81

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Motivating to participate in

Panchayat activities SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Frequently 14.28 6.67 5.71 0 6.67

Sometime 22.86 26.66 28.57 6.67 21.19

Rarely 22.86 20 42.86 66.67 38.1

No response 40 46.67 22.86 26.66 34.04

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Encouraging women’s

participation in different

schemes SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Frequently 8.57 6.67 5.71 0 5.24

Sometime 14.28 20 11.43 0 11.43

Rarely 14.28 26.66 57.14 73.33 42.85

No response 62.87 46.67 25.72 26.67 40.48

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Keeping a watch on income and

expenditure

SC

PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs Non SC PRIs Total

Frequently 14.28 6.67 2.86 6.67 7.62

Sometime 17.14 20 17.14 6.67 15.24

Rarely 11.43 26.67 51.43 53.33 35.72

No response 57.15 46.66 28.57 33.33 41.42

Total

Attending meeting SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs Non SC PRIs Total

Frequently 22.86 6.67 14.28 0 10.95

Sometime 11.43 33.33 17.14 6.67 17.14

Rarely 20 26.67 42.86 66.67 39.05

No response 45.71 33.33 25.72 26.66 32.86

Total 100 100 100 100 100

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Issues of health, adult education and education are rarely addressed. The respondents are

divided over the question of participation of scheduled caste women in the Gram Sabha

meetings. Majority of the female members, say that scheduled caste women do not participate

in the Gram Sabha just because of the lack of regard from the people at large. Lack of

awareness and illiteracy is also stated to be other reasons for their non-participation. They are

rarely able to encourage them to participate in Panchayat activities. Some scheduled caste

women attempt to understand the schemes in the Panchayat but women’s participation is

rarely encouraged in planning and implementation of development schemes. 35.72% rarely

keep a watch on income and expenditure as they have no knowledge of it. 41.42% did not

respond to the question as they had no idea of income and expenditure. 39.05% rarely

attended meeting as they had no information about it.

Very rarely people engage in different kinds of act for drawing attention of concerned

authorities to press their demands & grievances related to abolition of child labor and

trafficking. As a Panchayat member they very rarely take problems to their Mukhiyas

Patna Gaya

Emphasis on adult education SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Frequently 11.43 13.33 0 6.19

Sometime 17.14 13.33 11.43 0 10.27

Rarely 5.71 20 54.29 73.33 38.53

No response 65.72 53.34 34.28 26.67 45.01

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Help in office work (as a Panchayat

member) SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Frequently 8.57 6.67 0 0 3.81

Sometime 17.14 20 14.28 0 12.86

Rarely 11.43 13.33 57.14 73.33 38.81

No response 62.86 60 28.58 26.67 44.52

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Abolition of child labor

practices/domestic violence SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Frequently 0 0 0 0

Sometime 11.43 0 11.43 0 5.72

Rarely 5.71 20 51.43 80 39.28

No response 82.86 80 37.14 20 55

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Taking problems to the Mukhiya

(as a Member) SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Frequently 2.86 0 0 0 0.71

Sometime 5.71 0 2.86 0 2.14

Rarely 40 40 68.57 73.33 55.48

No response 51.43 60 28.57 26.67 41.67

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Trafficking SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Frequently 2.86 0 0 0 0.71

Sometime 5.71 0 2.86 0 2.14

Rarely 31.43 46.67 68.57 80 56.67

No response 60 53.33 28.57 20 40.48

Total 100 100 100 100 100

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(55.48%). In most cases the Mukhiya does not listen to any member’s proposals if ever they

put it before him (2.14%). The respondents also gave suggestions regarding the

empowerment of Dalits. It is suggested that their participation may be raised by providing

them education or motivational training, financial help for sustenance as well as making them

self-reliant. It is also suggested that regular meetings of Gram Sabha will encourage them to

participate. Unhelpful attitude of the government functionaries towards them discourage

greater participation.

Patna Gaya

Support provided to Encourage

SC Women SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Yes 8.57 0 0 0 2.14

No 31.43 46.67 65.71 80 55.95

No Response 60 53.33 34.29 20 41.91

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Are there any programme

strategies explicitly targeting

women? SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Yes 17.14 0 0 0 4.28

No 34.29 46.67 65.71 80 56.67

No Response 48.57 53.33 34.29 20 39.05

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Are loans available for poor

women SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Yes 11.43 0 0 13.33 6.19

No 42.86 46.67 65.71 40 48.81

No Response 45.71 53.33 34.29 46.67 45

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Do women have equal access to all

types of loan? SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Yes 0 0 0 0 0

No 31.43 46.67 62.86 73.33 53.57

No Response 68.57 53.33 37.14 26.67 46.43

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Are there concrete incentives for

implementation of empowerment

strategies? SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Yes 11.43 6.67 8.57 6.67 8.33

No 28.57 40 54.29 66.66 47.38

No Response 60 53.33 37.14 26.67 44.29

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Table 34: Support provided to women of SC community


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When people take their

grievances & complaints to

leaders like you. In such

situation Patna Gaya

Take up the matters with

relevant officials SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

generally do 54.29 66.67 91.43 100 78.10

generally do not do 14.29 6.67 0 0 5.24

No response 31.42 26.66 8.57 0 16.66

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Refers it to Panchayat officials

like sarpanch ,Mukhiyas SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

generally do 57.14 60 94.29 100 77.86

generally do not do 5.71 13.33 0 0 4.76

No response 37.14 26.67 5.71 0 17.38

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Represent before upper level

leaders like M.L.A, M.P or

Ministers SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

generally do 20 13.33 11.43 13.33 14.52

generally do not do 20 60 80 86.67 61.67

No response 60 26.67 8.57 0 23.81

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Involve Party leaders SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

generally do 20 13.33 11.43 6.67 12.86

generally do not do 25.71 60 80 93.33 64.76

No response 54.29 26.67 8.57 0 22.38

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Resort Some kind of direct

action like dharna, morcha or

demonstration SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

generally do 97.14 0 97.14 100 73.57

generally do not do 2.86 100 2.86 0 26.43

No response 0 0 0 0 0

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Handle it personally SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

generally do 97.14 0 22.86 26.67 36.67

generally do not do 2.86 100 77.14 73.33 63.33

No response 0 0 0 0 0

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Take a look at table above. PRIs from SC and Non SC category said that when their

people bring their grievances & complaints to them 78.10% of them either generally take up

the matter with relevant officials or refer it to Panchayat officials like sarpanch and Mukhiyas.

73.57% generally resort to some kind of direct action like dharna, morcha or

demonstration and 36.67% generally handle it personally. The EWR, as evident from the

table, took up some steps for improving the status of scheduled caste women representatives.

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55.95% SC and Non SC PRIs in both districts said that no support was provided to encourage

SC Women and 56.67% said that there no programme strategies explicitly targeting women.

48.81% said that no loans were available for poor women. Only 8.33% said that there are

concrete incentives for implementation of empowerment strategies. 50.48% said that

economic participation does not increase women’s ownership of assets. 50.95% said that men

may control decisions about use of women’s income, savings and credit. 54.29% were of the

view that women don’t take decisions about use of savings and credit in the household. Last

but not the least, 54.29% said that women's expenditure and household management

decisions may continue to favors boys while girls are withdrawn from school in order to do

unpaid household work in their mother's absence.

Patna Gaya

Economic participation increase

women’s ownership of assets SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Yes 8.57 6.67 2.86 0 4.52

No 28.57 40 60 73.33 50.48

No Response 62.86 53.33 37.14 26.67 45

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Men may control decisions about

use of women’s savings and

credit, women's incomes may be

very low and men may control

the income from these. SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Yes 25.71 13.33 71.43 93.33 50.95

No 11.43 40 2.86 6.67 15.24

No Response 62.86 46.67 25.71 0 33.81

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Do women make decisions about

use of savings and credit in the

household? SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Yes 8.57 13.33 5.71 20 11.90

No 28.57 40 68.57 80 54.29

No Response 62.86 46.67 25.72 0 33.81

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Women's expenditure and

household management decisions

may continue to favors Boys

while girls are withdrawn from

school in order to do unpaid

household work in their mother's

absence SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs

Non SC

PRIs Total

Yes 8.57 20 5.71 13.33 11.96

No 31.43 33.33 65.71 86.67 54.29

No Response 60 46.67 28.58 0 33.81

Total 100 100 100 100 100

55.95

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Table 35: Support from Officials

A majority of EWRs reported to be getting maximum support from different functionaries

such as Block officials, and Panchayat officials (58.57% and 63.09% respectively). The

reason for this was that could not go above these authorities. So whatever help they could get

was through these functionaries. On the contrary it was found that the woman members were

not happy with the behaviour of other functionaries mentioned (District officials, State

government Officials, State government Officials and Central government Officials) in the

above table.

Patna Gaya

Panchayat officials SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

Total

Most Helpful 20 53.33 85.71 93.33 63.09

Least Helpful 62.86 20 14.29 6.67 25.95

No Response 17.14 26.67 0 0 10.96

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Block Officials SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

Total

Most Helpful 25.71 26.67 88.57 93.33 58.57

Least Helpful 71.43 46.66 11.43 6.67 34.05

No Response 2.86 26.67 0 0 7.38

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

District officials SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

Total

Most Helpful 14.29 26.67 5.71 20 16.67

Least Helpful 71.42 46.66 94.29 80 73.09

No Response 14.29 26.67 10.24

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

State government Officials SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

Total

Most Helpful 8.57 26.67 2.86 0 9.52

Least Helpful 74.29 66.66 97.14 100 84.52

No Response 17.14 6.67 5.96

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Central government Officials SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

Total

Most Helpful 8.57 0 2.86 0 2.86

Least Helpful 17.14 66.67 97.14 100 70.24

No Response 74.29 33.33 26.9

Total 100 100 100 100 100


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CHAPTER 5- STATUS OF EMPOWERMENT OF ELECTED WOMEN

REPRESENTATIVES

‘What did they hope to achieve as members and leaders of Panchayat?’ The question elicited

a uniform and patterned response; improvement of roads, solving women’s problem. In the

same line, another specific question arises,’ Do women as elected representatives

represented the interest of women?’ Many responses gave the impression that what can they

do with no power fund in their hands.

When the FI’s enquired about beneficiary Panchayat relations and Panchayat follow up

help except Mukhiya all other women leaders have nothing to say. But Mukhiya told that

she some time’s tour to place to investigate the work and Panchayat assists in this regard

very well. One final question to them is that have they seen any changes after getting

power in particular to a scheme implementation in their village Panchayat. Answer from

them were very much natural as all told that definitely there increases some awareness and

confidence among women leaders inwards and works are also some transparent as they

demand it.

37.61% EWRs from both class reported improvement in their status after being elected as

members. They were respected by all sections of the population, but as far as their full

participation is concerned only 10.24% members replied in positive. Only 3.57% of them

were invited to religious functions. They at times negotiated disputes between parties.

46.67% Non SC PRIs in Patna reported improvement in their economic condition as they had

started some economic activities after taking loan from bank. It is thus seen that the people,

especially women who have long been marginalised, are now being accepted as agents of

social change after winning the election as Panchayat members. Although it is a long way to

go but the process has started.

Patna Gaya

Improvement in status of

women members

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

Total

Respect from all sections of

society

34.29 33.33 42.86 40 37.61

Full participation in village

affairs

14.29 20 0 6.67 10.24

Solving people’s problem 8.57 28.57 40 19.29

Invited in festivals 11.43 2.86 3.57

Improvement in economic

condition


society & Full participation in

village affairs

31.42 7.86


society & Invited in festivals

25.71 6.43


society & Solving people’s

problem

13.33 3.33


society & Improvement in

economic condition

46.67 11.67

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Table 35: Improvement in status of women members

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Table 36: Problems faced by the EWR in role performance

51.43% of the members said that they faced problems in discharging their duties as they were

illiterate and unaware of different schemes. A large number (26.43%) of them said that no

training was being provided to them. Many EWR did not receive necessary co-operation of

the functionaries in the Gram Panchayat and at the Block level. 15.95% said that no support

was provided by the block officials and sometimes also by their community members.

Table 37: Steps taken for improving the status of SC women representatives

The first step was to get the problems solved by the Gram Sabha and Gram Kuchehry

(37.62% and 20.24% respectively). They tried to demand their rights for Gram Sabha

(13.57%) and 15.47% tried to request for more funds from the Block to continue their work.

Leaders who are over concerned

about resolving conflicts can

never carry out community

programmes successfully

SC PRIs Non SC PRIs SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

Total

Strongly agree 5.71 0 0 0 1.13

Agree 71.43 6.67 6.67 21.19

Disagree 11.43 20 91.43 73.33 49.05

Strongly disagree 11.43 40 5.71 20 18.28

No response 5.71 33.33 2.86 10.35

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

Mention some problems faced

being SC PRIs in their

Panchayat?


PRIs

Total

Illiterate & not aware about the

welfare schemes

57.14 46.67 48.57 53.33 51.43

No training being provided 31.43 20 34.29 20 26.43

No support being provided by

Govt. Officers at block level

8.57 26.66 8.57 20 15.95

No support being provided by

community Leaders

2.86 6.67 8.57 6.67 6.19

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

In view of the above problems,

what efforts have been made by

Panchayat member to

overcome them


PRIs

Total

Demand rights for Gram Sabha 14.28 6.67 0 33.33 13.57

Get problems solved by Gram

Sabha

22.86 60 34.29 33.33 37.62

Get problems solved by Gram

Kuchehry

31.43 0 22.86 26.67 20.24

Help some needy beneficiaries 2.86 0 8.57 6.67 4.54

Make best use of available

resources

0 0 2.86 0 0.71

Contact Mukhia / Pramukh 8.57 0 20 0 7.14

Demand more funds from block 2.86 0 0 0 0.71

No response 17.14 33.33 11.42 0 15.47

Total 100 100 100 100 100


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Perception of Opinion leaders and the community

“Most people feel that they have right only to elect their representatives, not to direct or supervise their

activities,” we were told by one respondent. “Gram sabhas are called, but hardly any woman attends. What can

they achieve by attending? They know that the Mukhiya will do exactly as he pleases regardless of who attends

and who does not.” The 10 percent quorum requirement stipulated by law in Bihar for gram sabha meetings is

very often hard to meet in many villages, and Mukhiyas resort to diverse stratagems in order to record a

quorum on paper. BOX 8

Focus Group Discussion (FGD)

This section starts with the views of the opinion leaders during the FGD about the scheduled

caste women Panchayat members, their participation in the Panchayat; their endeavours for

the improvement of their community people have been explored. These 40 opinion leaders

were drawn from different fields, the detail of whom is given below in the following table.

Category of Opinion leaders

Category of Opinion leaders BOX 9

� Local political leaders

� Teachers

� Student/ social workers

� Anganwadi Sewika

� Elderly female

� Elderly male

� Businessmen

� Staffs of electricity board

Since the majority of them had been approached by Dalit Panchayat members occasionally

for advice regarding various matters, their opinion is based on personal experience. About

80% of the opinion leaders think that the scheduled caste Panchayat members and non SC

members are unaware of the problems of the village as well as of their responsibilities. The

Gram Panchayat which is expected to keep watch on the working of the organisations like

Health sub centres, Anganwadi and Primary schools have failed to do anything constructive.

The scheduled caste Panchayat members, whose own community people could get more

benefit from these units, have not been able to improve their functioning. One of the reasons

for malfunctioning of these organisations is lack of coordination between government

department and the Gram Panchayat. It is that the government staffs do not want the

devolution of power to the Panchayat, especially women leaders and interference of the

Panchayat members.

Although the immensity of the opinion leaders hold that the scheduled caste members

participate in the Panchayat meetings, they reported that these meetings are not held

regularly. Besides, upper caste members do not relish their presence in the meetings. Caste

bias and illogical behaviour of Mukhiya affect their participation. Participation of scheduled

caste EWR is also very low. Apart from the factors mentioned above, their husbands do not

allow them to participate in the meetings. Participation of Dalit members has been viewed as

unsatisfactory by opinion leaders. In any case they have not much role in decision making

process at the Gram Panchayat level. It is needless to say that the scheduled caste members,

irrespective of sex, are unable to carry out their duties. The main hurdle is the indifference of

Mukhiya, Pramukh and the Block officials. The Panchayat members have no power and

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depend on the whims of the latter. They are also not aware of their responsibility. Illiteracy

and acute poverty also stand in their way.

In order to overcome the prevailing hurdles the opinion leaders have given many suggestions.

First of all, the members should be provided intensive training about their duties and

responsibilities. They need to be made aware of the different government programmes and be

vested with financial power. Regular meetings of the Gram Sabha should be held. The

opinion leaders find some change in social status and reduction in untouchability. Although

economic empowerment among them is hardly visible, some of them have got Indira Awas

and loan from bank for pursuing some economic activity. Some of them have also purchased

small plots of land and this has given them better social status. On the whole, the scheduled

caste Panchayat members with their community are on the way to empowerment but they

have miles to go before they sleep.

During an FGD, one woman thanks government for their vision to put confidence among

women but she laments that ‘it is difficult to assess any specific developments among

women.’ But she shows her satisfaction with the women members of their Panchayat. A

senior member above 60 who was a very influential opinion leader in the locality has a very

pessimistic view regarding this reservation of women in Panchayat. He told that generally

village heads are Mukhiyas of the Panchayat, behind it authority with legitimacy stands

which helps a lot to solve any conflict at village level and this trend is no more in village

today with women becoming Panchayat leaders. A woman working with an Anganbadi told

that due to social tradition women leaders are not getting any chances to defend their voice

before elder male persons. They are feeling shy while talking in a meeting. This was the case

of SC and Non SC elected member. As we found from the field study, that though there are

multifarious problems regarding their full presence in the meeting and except Mukhiya others

are not even aware of the various developments, still then they want to take interest in their

work. Their socio-economic condition affects their working behavior. Though the public

reaction on the women leader is not satisfactory, but then it will take some more time to

change the male psychology. And one thing is very clear that women do not only want to

work for women development but they want to take interest for the general problem in the

locality too.

Table 38: Did EWRs faced violence while contesting election

In view of the responses of the EWR from both categories on different issues, it can be said

that there is slight improvement in the condition of the scheduled caste women. They have

also started realising their position and importance in the community and in the society at

large. They also intend to participate in the political process and do good to their

Patna Gaya

Have you faced violence while

contesting election


PRIs

Total

Yes 28.57 6.67 8.81

No 71.43 100 100 93.33 91.19

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

If yes, what was the form of

violence?


PRIs

Total

Physical 90 100 95

Mental 10 5

Verbal

Total 100 100 100


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communities. A sense of accommodation between the scheduled castes and the other

segments of the population seems to have emerged. Sporadic incidence of atrocities and

exploitation of the scheduled caste men and women occur sometimes. The Panchayati Raj

with the provision for reservation to the Scheduled castes and other backward communities is

likely to build up an integrated rural society in Bihar.

Notwithstanding the fact that the scheduled caste members are yet to have full participation in

the Panchayat, their representation in the Panchayati Raj Institutions, according to the

community and opinion leaders has empowered them to a very small extent.

This chapter attempts to portray the picture of the other side of the table. Through the eyes of

the 900 community members (315 SC and 135 Non SC) covering 2 districts we have tried to

measure the status of the women members. For this we have selected some fields from the

context of which we can apprehend the actual situation. Community perception regarding the

women members in Panchayat has also change. Until recently women as Panchayat

functionaries were looked down upon. But of late, situation began to change, thanks to 73rd

Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 and the 50% reservation.

Identity

To understand the ground reality people were asked whether they know their member or

not. It has been found more than 50% of the people know the member and can identify her. It

is quite surprising that Patna, being one of the toppers according to district development

index reflects that 15% of the population does not know their member and only 69.5% people

know the member by name and by figure. This may happen as development creates some

dissociation within the community.

In Gaya and Patna 50% people do not know the name of their member. It has been seen

during our survey that male member is known to all but the lady is behind the veil. In case of

female member villagers know her well but do not know her name. Instead of, she is known

as someone’s wife. In some cases lady member’s husband is known as member in the

locality. It proves that even women representatives also have still no voice. This data reveals

that still after 15 years of Reservation (33%) and 4 years of 50 percent question of identity of

women vis-a-vis men is rather low or non-existent.

Development Works

Very few works such as Indira Awas, NREGA, old age pension and installation of hand

pumps etc. have been done by the members, told by the people in Patna and in Gaya.

Majority people support whatever work that has been done by the women representatives. It

is very interesting that works on health and education are still neglected by the members.

Women and child developmental works have not been done in either of the 2 districts.

Scenario is same in all Panchayat covered. Other than schemes, few works have been done

like campaign against trafficking, awareness regarding child labor etc.

Reservation

People in general considered that women reservation was not only a welcome step but it has

created direct positive impact on socio political life of the villagers at the grass-root level.

Most of the people (85%) support the reservation. Among which 5% people want to add some

conditions with reservation. According to them under reservation members should be chosen

with minimum education (matriculation) and enough time.

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The community perception also reflects there are some positive improvements towards

Panchayat due to reservation but 20.75% people in Patna & 17.50% in Gaya supported that

there are no improvement at all due to women reservation in their districts. Not only that

27.5% of people in Patna, 24% in Gaya told that due to entry of women in Panchayat because

of reservation, some negative impacts have been created. For example husbands of member

become powerful or behind the lady member party leader is dictating. Here lies also the

concept of patriarchy. On behalf of female members either husband or party leaders act

effectively. It is clear from the study that in both the districts people depend more on male

Mukhiyas rather than female Mukhiyas.

The picture presented above has shown that the status of women members in both categories

is not so satisfactory. Overall performance have been measured through the third eye i.e.,

People’s eye in context of their Identity, Communication, Activities, Impact of reservation,

Public Co-operation, Dependency. From these contexts we see ……..

• Identity crisis of women members is there as traditional male supremacy has been

challenged.

• Though there are some against voices but majority of the people said that women

members try to communicate regularly with the people.

• Most of the activities done by the women members are scheme oriented. They are

functioning as the agent of scheme implementation of the government although to a

very small extent.

• Impacts of reservation seen by the people are mixed. According to one group

reservation has changed the vision of whole society. Developmental works get

impetus. Another group has demanded due to entry of backbenchers’ work of

development has been delayed. At the same time women members are used as rubber

stamp in the hands of political party or “Husband”.

• People’s co-operation again reflects the preference of the society regarding the sex

composition of its leadership. Women members are the prey of non co-operation or

disobey by the people.

• Data on dependency again proves that in this patriarchal and male dominated society

it will take time for women members to have the confidence of others in the

neighborhood.

• Regarding the flow of information women members don’t play a crucial role.

• In women problems it is expected that women members would be communicated. But

in some backward districts women members are neither even informed about the issue

nor called for. Assistance of women members in women issues are avoided due to the

undercurrent of male supremacy.

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CHAPTER 6- BARRIERS TO THE PROCESS OF EMPOWERMENT OF

ELECTED WOMEN REPRESENTATIVES

It is needless to say that there are a lot of difficulties in doing development work in rural areas of

Bihar, particularly if it is pro-poor. Table below reveals the nature of difficulties that the members

(SC and Non SC) have come across.

Table 39: Problems faced after being elected as the Panchayat Representative

PATNA GAYA

Problems faced by the elected members

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

Total %

Constraint of funds 54.28 66.67 88.56 46.66 256.17 64.04

Negligence by Govt. officials 14.29 20 34.29 8.57

Pressure of powerful persons

Negligence by Govt. officials on

the basis of gender discrimination

31.43 26.67 58.1 14.52

Constraint of funds & Limited

functions of members

13.33 5.72 26.67 45.72 11.43

Pressure of powerful persons,

Vested interest &

5.72 5.72 1.44

100 100 100 100 400 100

Pressure of dominant persons and vested interest has been the greatest stumbling block for

any development work. It gets further complicated by the involvement of powerful persons

which are so prominent in some of the areas in the districts from which the sample has been

drawn.

Besides the constraint of funds, apathy of government officials is an important obstacle to

development work. The elected women members feel helpless because of the limited powers

given to them under the Panchayati Raj Act for the implementation of work.

64.04% WERs from both SC and Non SC category face problems in discharging their duties

due to constraint of fund. Whereas 14.52% SC and Non SC respondents argued non

cooperation that they primarily face due to pressure of powerful persons and the negligence

by government officials on the basis of gender discrimination. The women representative

thus felt hurt for not having been heard or supported and even if they presented befitting and

relevant arguments.

8.57% respondents even faced problems from the vested interest of male counterparts when

they placed their views for the development purpose of their area.

1.44% respondents alone revealed that even the female colleagues (from the SC category) for

their personal views and differences did not support them. They were either discourteous, or

corrupt showing utter disregard on gender basis morally, materially which also at times

resulted in complete and total disassociation with the administration.

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Table 40: Reasons for poor participation in politics by scheduled caste members

PATNA GAYA

Reasons for poor participation in politics by scheduled caste members

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC

PRIs

Non SC

PRIs

Total %

Lack of education 13.33 13.33 3.33

Poverty 34.29 34.29 8.58

Lack of awareness due to

lack of training

2.85 73.33 48.57 124.75 31.18

Fear of dominant persons 8.58 6.67 15.25 3.81

Lack of education, lack of

training & poverty

17.14 17.14 100 134.28 33.58

poverty & lack of

awareness due to lack of

training

37.14 37.14 9.28

Poverty & Fear of

dominant persons

6.67 14.29 20.96 5.24

Lack of education ,

poverty & Fear of

dominant persons

20 20 5

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

The study enables us to assess the impact of the reservation policy on participation levels in

different Panchayat. Among the reservation variables, gender and membership in a scheduled

caste achieved no significance. This implies that levels of political activity among the Non

SC population is not likely to be significantly higher or lower in Panchayat where the

position is reserved for women or for SCs. This finding reveals that individuals belonging to

SCs and Non SCs participate considerably less than those belonging to other caste groups.

Education and awareness through training was perceived by majority of the respondents

(33.58% and 31.18% respectively) to be very important asset that influences the effectiveness

of an elected representative. The importance given to education implies that many women

who have established positions in the community and could be fair and just representatives

are often excluded due to lack of formal education. The uneducated traditional village SC and

Non SC leaders that were interviewed stressed that the skills needed to be in the Panchayat

were different from the skills that they possessed, and that they had not therefore made any

attempts to be elected. Education, poverty and access to information through training are also

variables that are significantly associated with participation among elected representatives.

5% found the fear of dominant persons led them to participate poorly in political process. It is

evident from the table that besides illiteracy, poverty and ignorance and fear of dominant

persons are important reasons for their poor participation in political process.

Ability to take decision

90 respondents never took decision in the Panchayat meetings. 20 respondents were of the

view that they usually stand unaware about the agenda thus could not comment on any

deliberation. 40 respondents felt hesitant to participate in the discussions in presence of male

members present in the meetings, partly because they lacked confidence. 20 respondents

never attended meeting Only 10 respondents took decision at their own in Panchayat

meetings as they were of the opinion that they were confident enough that decisions taken by

them will benefit the people of their village. (See table 41 below)

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Table 41: Decisions taken by women in Panchayat (N= 100=70 SC and 30 Non SC)

Decision taken If no then reason

Yes No Views are not

considered

Lack of

confidence Unaware about

agenda

Never attended

meeting

10 90 20 40 20 10

The study reveals that the Scheduled caste members on account of age-old social exclusion,

neglect, and ignorance would not be capable of participation in the activities of the Gram

Panchayat and would merely remain as silent partners. (See table 42 below)-

Table 42: Orientation training of Panchayat members

PATNA GAYA

Source of training SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC PRIs Total %

No training given 68.57 86.67 100 100 355.24 88.81

Govt. Officials 31.43 13.33 0 0 44.76 11.19

Voluntary

Organisations

0 0 0 0 0

Total 100 100 100 100 400 100

It is evident from the table that as many as 100 percent PRI members in SC and Non SC

category in Gaya and 68.57% and 86.67% from SC and Non SC category respectively in

Patna said that no training was imparted to them. Since they were not given any training they

never felt confident in discharging their roles and responsibility. No training was given by the

Voluntary organisations in either of the 2 districts. 11.19% of the respondents from Patna had

one day’s orientation training provided by government officials. In one day they could have

only nodding acquaintance with their role in the programme and the tasks involved. The rest

of them did not have any training. It can therefore be said that for better discharge of their

responsibility as Panchayat members as well as for more meaningful participation in the local

self-governance, all the elected members are required to have adequate training.

The fact that the Mukhiya is a woman has no effect on women’s participation at the Gram

Sabha or the occurrence of women’s complaints was evident during the study in almost all

the Panchayat. Women don’t participate in the Gram Sabha, most probably because the

process is very recent, and the GP leaders are not trained to mobilize women in public

meetings. The situation is no different in the case of Non SC EWRs.

In order to improve women’s political participation 33% respondents said that they should be

given rigorous training. 29.76% participants also thought that positive attitude of government

officials was also required for strengthening their leadership qualities. Even the community

members agreed to their views. Box 10

The lack of women’s participation was clearly observed during a monthly members’ meeting in a

Panchayat in Patna district, where only a couple of female ward members were found sitting veiled

and in a corner. In three of the four Panchayat with a group discussions and informal interviews

revealed that the activities of their office were basically carried out by their husbands.

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As far as the awareness regarding the Stipend Schemes running by the Welfare departments

was concerned, whether it was the High School, Middle School Primary school or Musahar

Stipend. They were also unaware of the stipend for the hostellers, technical courses,

residential schools, school uniform for girls, hostel schemes, remedial coaching at BA and

PG level for SC and ST students, Medical Aid and Legal Aid (For providing assistance to SC

and ST people. Regarding Assistance under SC, ST Atrocities Prevention Act, 1989/PCR

Act, 1955, 100% of the EWRs in SC and Non SC category in both districts were completely

unaware of any such law. A large percentage of the SC and Non SC community in Gaya and

Patna were equally unaware of such an Act. The role of women leader in developmental

process is a mixture of unawareness and constraint.

The EWR were of the view that given the knowledge of different schemes they would be able

implemented them and benefit the scheduled caste community. The community also observed

that without Gram Panchayat these benefits will not have reached them. Awareness of female

members will lead them to be watchful that the benefits meant for these depressed people

were not misutilised.

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CHAPTER 7- CASE STUDIES

CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

Table 43: Success & Failures

Major achievements according to the EWRs- There are five types of work that have been taken up by most of the EWRs. These are (i)

Construction of Indira Awas (34.52%) which has benefitted the poor scheduled caste and

other houseless families, (ii) road construction/ repair (18.81%) which according to them has

improved transportation and inter-village communication, (iii) installation of hand pumps

(9.53%) which has ensured safe drinking water and thereby helps reduction in water-borne

diseases and improvement in health care of the people, (iv) installation of vapour lamps

(19.05%), (v) Old age pension (10.48%).

Major failures according to the EWRs-

There are certain areas where the EWRs have failed to deliver. They are- (i) Indira Awas

(26.19%) where they could have delivered more, (ii) Road Construction/ repair (26.91%)

where they had delivered but could have done more, (iii) Jobs through NREGA (18.1%), (iv)

Installation of Vapor lamp (15.64%).

The reason was that the EWRs were discouraged by the adverse work situation. In order to

overcome it, they approached Gram Sabha for authorising them to perform certain tasks.

Some of them also put up their problems to Gram Sabha for decision and direction but that

was ignored in most cases. All of them said that Mukhiya did not implement schemes and

they were not given full powers to do their work. Lack of funds and caste consideration also

Patna Gaya

As a leader of their area

(village/Panchayat) for the last

few years what are their major

achievements?

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

Total

Indira Awaas 51.43 26.67 40 20 34.52

Road Construction/ repair 8.57 20 20 26.67 18.81

Installation of Vapour lamps 11.43 20 11.43 33.33 19.05

Installation of Hand pumps 8.57 20 2.86 6.67 9.53

Repair of school buildings 8.57 2.14

Repair / construction of drains

Distribution of Ration Cards 8.57 13.33 5.47

Old age pension 20 13.33 8.57 10.48

100 100 100 100 100

Patna Gaya

What do you consider to be

your major failure regarding

your responsibility towards

Panchayat that you would have

liked to fulfill but failed to do

so?

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

SC PRIs Non SC

PRIs

Total

Indira Awaas 48.57 13.33 22.86 20 26.19

Jobs through NREGA 14.29 26.67 11.43 20 18.1

Road Construction/ repair 11.43 26.67 42.86 26.67 26.91

Installation of Vapor lamp 11.29 26.67 11.29 13.33 15.64

Installation of Hand pumps 14.42 6.66 11.56 20 13.16

Total 100 100 100 100 100


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affected their role performance. Two important reasons for low or non- performance of

scheduled caste members are lack of training and poverty. On account of lack of proper

training, they are ignorant of their responsibilities.

Table 44: Desire to contest election again

Most of them have got the taste of politics and want to move ahead by contesting elections

for different positions in Panchayati Raj. As they now realise the importance of their position

even if they have been able to perform partially, majority of them do not hesitate to express

their wish to contest the next Panchayat elections.

Table 45: Future Planning

If they are re-elected they would like to pay more attention to Indira Awas, Repair and

construction of road, Installation of hand pumps and wells, vapor light, old age pension and

scholarships for students.

Box 11

Response Total

Yes 95%

No response 5%

Patna Gaya

If you are re-elected,

considering your plan for the

future, to what programmes &

activities would you like to

devote your time most?


PRIs

Total

Indira Awas 14.29 20 20 20 18.57

Road Construction/ repair 14.29 13.33 5.71 13.33 11.66

Hand pumps ,well 22.86 33.34 25.72 26.67 27.85

Vapour light 8.57 13.33 11.43 13.33 11.67

Repair / construction of drains 11.42 13.33 5.71 13.34 10.16

Distribution of Ration card 2.86 5.71 2.19

Scholarship to students 8.57 6.67 14.29 7.43

Old age pension 17.14 11.43 13.33 10.47

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Apart from the caste based restrictions, women shoulder the burden of gender based restrictions,

which cut across every caste and class in India. For example, a Rajput woman who apparently

enjoys the caste hierarchy has to curtail her public life and identity in the name of family pride. On

the other hand a dalit woman, who may have the freedom to go out in public, tends to face assault

from upper caste men who justify their violent behavior as their caste based right. Caste system and

patriarchy in India, which has historical roots and religious sanctity, put dual pressures on women.

The point to make is that women in local governments have a long way to go. First they are

stepping out of their homes, then they take on some soft roles; then they can enter the real political

hub and then actually transform it. 90% women candidates still face physical violence while

contesting election (See table 38).



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CASE STUDIES (1)

NOORJAHAN

AGE- 45

CASTE- MUSLIM

POST- MUKHIYA

PANCHAYAT- BARA

BLOCK-GAYA SADAR

DISTRICT- GAYA

Noorjahan hails from Bara Panchayat of Gaya Sadar block in Gaya district. She belongs to

the Minority community. She has passed class 8. She and her husband is a Congress party

worker. Her husband Mohammad Shamim Ahmad is an ex Mukhiya. They have two sons and

a daughter. She owns 4 acres of land at her native place. Their main occupation is agriculture.

Her husband asked to her to contest in Panchayat election in 2006. She was elected without

contest.

When she was elected Mukhiya people of her community initially regarded her husband as

the real Mukhiya. But Noorjahan proved them wrong. Although her educational level is low

she has keen interest in development work. Her Panchayat is not very big with a population

of approximately 12,000. The empowerment of Noorjahan is manifested from the several

incidents and performance in the Panchayats. She is keenly interested to make her Panchayat

a model for development work. She got several development works executed like installation

of 64 hand pumps, 26 street lights, distribution of old age pension to 125 beneficiaries and

widow pension to 63 women. Besides this she has also helped 18 disabled people. He has

done praiseworthy works such as distribution of cards to 55 beneficiaries under the

Annapoorna scheme. Construction of bridge at some places, installation of 2 solar lights,

soling of roads and construction of a couple of ponds have also been done with her initiative.

She faces many problems while performing her work.

She said that she had motivated capable and brilliant people to apply for the post of

Panchayat teacher but some people tried to bribe her and forced her to include their name in

the candidates’ list. But she refused to yield and in the process they bribed the BDO and other

government staffs to institute a false case against her. But she is bravely fighting the case till

date and believes that she will win.

She is keen to raise the level of the participation of members of her community in the

political process, this can be facilitated if their poverty is alleviated through government

schemes and steps are taken to give them funds for self employment.

Source: Field Interview

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CASE STUDIES (2)

NAME- BACHCHIA DEVI

AGE- 50-52

CASTE- SC

POST- SARPANCH

PANCHAYAT- BAKRAUR

BLOCK- BODH GAYA

DISTRICT- GAYA

Sarpanch Bachchia Devi, wife of Ramdayal Paswasn got married at the tender age of 15.

She is an illiterate with 6 children, 3 daughters and 3 sons. Her daughters are married and her

sons are studying. She is below poverty line and has been given a house under the Indira

Awas Yojana. Her Panchayat has a population of 15,000.

She was very hard working and got inspiration to contest from villagers. They co-operated

fully with her during election. She did not face any difficulty at the time of election on

account of good management by the authorities. The bulk of the members of her caste are

poverty stricken. Economically she has not gained by working as a Sarpanch but socially and

politically, she feels stronger. Her self esteem has increased. Bachchia Devi’s level of

awareness regarding Panchayati Raj system has gone up, although no deliberate effort was

made for capacity building. She did not get any training for her work.

The Mukhiya of her Panchayat works arbitrary to implement the Panchayat work. He does

not share his power either with her or Ward members. The main difficulties she faced during

Panchayat work were non cooperation from Mukhiya. But in spite of this she has solved 64

cases of different nature till date.

She suggested that all the Panchayat members should get training. It will stand up their

empowerment.

She had no information about the formation of standing committee like Social Justice

Committee as enjoined in the Panchayati Raj Act, 1993. She feels that Scheduled caste

people have not been benefited by these standing committees. The process of empowerment

according to her is very slow owing to poverty unemployment and illiteracy among

Scheduled caste. Now he is happy that Gram Kachahari has been formed in 2006. She says,

this will also raised the self esteem of many SC representatives who have won the post of

Panch and Sarpanch.


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CASE STUDIES (3)

NAME- SHASHI DEVI

AGE- Between 45 - 46

CASTE- SC

POST- MUKHIYA

PANCHAYAT- PURVI DIGHA

BLOCK- PATNA SADAR

DISTRICT- PATNA

Shashi is married and won the reserved seat which was previously occupied by her brother

in-law. She is a Graduate and is able to perform her role and responsibility on her own. Her

Panchayat has a population of approximately 22, 000-25,000 people.

She believes that training and economic assistance to Ward members could change their

living conditions. The government should organise training camps for them so that they can

understand the functioning of Gram Panchayat and their rule and responsibilities. As a

Mukhiya she has faced problems in some cases but got success through the help of people.

During the last 4 years she has been able to get 10 hand pumps installed in her Panchayat.

She has been associated with the work of allotment of houses under the Indira Awas Yojana

and distribution of old age pension to 400 beneficiaries. Her Panchayat has also benefited

sunder the BRGF scheme and installation of solar light. On her initiative women are getting

the benefits of education under the Akshar Anchal Yojana. Shashi is also working hard for

the abolition of child labor and as a result she has been successful in getting a child labor

middleman arrested. Her plans for future include opening of Primary school and Primary

Health Center (PHC). Her self esteem has increased and she has participated in Panchayat as

well as NGO meetings. The members of the community and Panchayat said that their

Panchayat has developed and all the credit goes to their Mukhiya Shashi.

She told that Dalit women do not attend meeting of Gram Sabha. The role of elected member

is not clear to the Ward members. They do not know their right and duties. The government

should organise training camps for them so that they can understand the functioning of Gram

Panchayat and their rule and responsibilities.


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CASE STUDIES (4)

NAME- NIRMALA DEVI

AGE- Between 45- 46

CASTE- SC

POST- GRAM PANCHAYAT MEMBER

PANCHAYAT- GOVINDPUR BARAUHI

BLOCK- DHANRUA

DISTRICT- PATNA

Nirmala belongs to Schedule caste. She is illiterate, landless and daily wage earner. She

learned to sign after she won the Panchayat election. She is below poverty line. Her husband

and his friends inspired her to contest the elections. She was not confident of winning

election as she said that some people discouraged her from contesting the elections. They

even put pressure on her to withdraw from the election by trying to falsely implicate her. A

handful of persons even campaigned against her.

The bulk of the members of her caste are poverty stricken. Nirmala, like others, finds wage

employment only for a few months in the year. Economically she has not gained by working

as a Panchayat member as she does not receive any compensation. Government official’s

attitude is not helpful for the Panchayat representative. They do not want the development of

the Panchayat. They make money through the Mukhia in the development work.

She said that she had got 3 days training but did not know who the source was. According to

her, SC women representatives of Gram Panchayat have to face many difficulties in their

work. They also lack education and do not understand paper work. This is why they send

their husbands to inquire about the government schemes and their implementation. She took

initiative to get work done. Although some people opposed and created obstacles in her work

but she succeeded to some extent. She has been associated with the work of allotment of 20

houses under the Indira Awas Yojana. Apart from this she also got 4 hand pumps installed in

her Panchayat.

Nirmala expects much from Panchayati Raj. She says that future is good under Panchayati

Raj system and employment should be given through Panchayat. Trained and educated

persons should be given employment. Only then the condition of Wards and villages can

improve. The main problem of SC representatives is illiteracy and economic distress. They

do not participate in the Panchayat activities regularly as they are engaged in making a living.


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CONCLUSION

Box 12

Some important findings-

• No doubt women members have the “Power within”, but they are lacking confidence

due to low education and exposure. Still overcoming the initial hesitation they are

participating gradually with the system.

• For capacity building they have got not very much support from the government

such as reading materials and training.

• There is no suo-moto help-line from the end of the officials.

• Women being outspoken in front of men are not allowed in the rural society. As a

result patriarchal intervention is there.

• Women as Panchayat representatives are yet to penetrate into the areas of women’s

vulnerability for their rights, legal literacy and gender justice.

In conclusion it may be considered that to achieve the women empowerment, advancement

can be facilitated with the co-ordination of different sections of the society such as male

gentry, religious heads, political leaders who should come forward and shun their

interpersonal interest even ego to understand and appreciate that the SC and Non SC women

are equally as important segments of society as others. Unless the caste and class ridden

society is transformed and replaced by a better socio-economic set up where all are equal co-

workers, the future of human set up appears to be bleak.

Given that the overriding concern of this study is inclusion of marginalized groups, it is

interesting to consider how participation rates among these groups— scheduled castes and

women—have been affected as a result of the reservation policy. These findings raise a

number of pertinent questions. Do participation rates among women increase significantly

when the position of Mukhiya is reserved for a woman? Do SCs participate more actively

when one of their own is the Mukhiya? The variables, gender and SC, have been

consistently significant for all aspects of exclusion considered so far—indicating that

women and SCs make up significant parts of the relatively excluded population. To what

extent has the policy of reservation succeeded in reversing these historical liabilities? We

consider this question by comparing Panchayat—those where the position of Mukhiya is

Women’s Participation: Field observations

• Women members are very reluctant in attending meetings due to lack of time,

family pressure and for traveling cost.

• Most of the women representatives are dependent on male, husband or family

members or secretary.

• Women members are more participative in their organizational work rather than

their panchayats’ work.

• Women members who are educated or groomed in a political background are

more vocal than others at gram Panchayat level.

• Still today significant number of the female members has to obey the whip of male

actors.

• The proxy attendance for women members by husband or family members has

been null and void.

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reserved for women or for SCs, and those where no such reservation (Non SC) is in place. No

dramatic changes in participation are apparent when the two samples are compared. A

relatively smaller proportion of women fall within the “low participator” category in the

reserved Panchayat compared with the unreserved Panchayat (Non SC).

There is no significant difference when we compare the participation rates for SCs in

reserved and unreserved Panchayat, indicating that these differences are not large enough to

indicate that the reservations policy has so far produced any statistically significant effects.

Reservations are a useful remedial for situations where women and SCs have traditionally

been kept apart from public life and where differences of gender and caste still count a great

deal in explaining individuals’ relative participation in public decision making. However,4

years of reservations have not had a considerable impact on customary patterns of exclusion.

Even when the sample is analyzed specifically for 70% Scheduled Castes and 30% Non SC,

no significant differences in participation levels are apparent. This implies that levels of

political activity among the general population is not likely to be significantly higher or lower

in Panchayat where the position of Mukhiya is reserved for women or for SCs. Data from our

study Panchayat show that levels of inclusion in activities associated with PRIs are not higher

for either SC or Non SC women when a position is reserved for a person from that category.

The study concludes by noting that quotas in local bodies alone are insufficient for ensuring

women's political visibility. Therefore, more fundamental changes are needed for creating a

more women-friendly political environment. This is particularly important for the

organizations of cadre-based and supposedly progressive political parties, who, in the name

of party discipline, tend to adopt means of patriarchal domination to control women

Panchayat members. Thus our finding suggests that it will be very useful to track the impact

of reservations on inclusion in the future.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Our quest regarding the untold story of Women representatives (SC and Non SC) at the grass

root level of Panchayati raj institutions has come to an end though it is an unending process.

We have managed to get some key-lessons from this. Our journey started from the genesis

of women’s participation in public arena up to their coping up with the reality in order to

explore answers for the questions hereunder :

� How are the elected representatives (dalit & non dalit headed panchayats) at the grass-

root level of Panchayati Raj institutions?

� Whether they have come only by Reservation or otherwise?

� What are the public opinions about Reservation?

� Is the socio-economic status a significant factor towards discharging the responsibilities

and effective part in decision making process of GP level?

� Whether Political facilitation is important for functioning in a political body or not?

� Whether some women functionaries can properly perceive their roles and

responsibilities or not?

� How are they functioning at Gram Panchayat level?

� What supports (training support, knowledge support, consultancy etc) they have got

from the end of the government? Is there any gap or not?

� What are the main factors playing significant role to make the members effective?

� Whether they are facing any constraints or difficulties in playing their roles or not?

� Whether there is any Patriarchal interventions towards their functioning or not?

� What are their policy suggestions towards effective participation of members at Gram

Panchayat?

The findings of this study can be analysed from two contexts ---- one is the context of

“women development” which is the function of socio-economic parameters and another is

“women’s empowerment” which is the function of political awareness , participation and

support services. Women development means “advancement of women” and “enhancement

of women’s status in the society” (P.D. Koushik, 2005). On the other hand women’s

empowerment deals with “the concept of equality” (Gita Sen & Caren Grown, 1987).

The first set of issues apprehends that how social and economic inequalities and inequities

have made it very difficult for women representatives to cope up with the existing power

structure and strategies. The same view was expressed by Mahbub ul Haq (1996) that equity

and empowerment are essential components of human resource development. The second

issue reflects that the political spaces for women through reservation, political participation

etc are not sufficient conditions for women to challenge the task of governance.

Covering all these 6 chapters it has been found that at the lower tier of PRIs with some

exceptions the overall performance of the women members are not up to the mark. Women

development is so poor in both categories that empowerment part has been successful to a

very small degree. This study has observed same as Kabeer and Subrahmaniam (1996)

opined that women’s powerlessness is due to lack of resources. Very few women members

themselves have been managing Gram Panchayat aptly.

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It has been identified that there are eight main causes behind this overall poor performance

of women members:

1. Lack of Education

2. Lack of training

3. Lack of Money

4. Lack of experience or exposures

5. Lack of Political will

6. Gender Subordination

7. Social Constraints

8. Institutional Constraints and

9. Lack of Care and monitoring from administrative end

It has been seen that very few educated, aware, eloquent women are coming in Panchayats.

Education is a vital indicator which denotes to what extent a woman member is equipped in

terms of general awareness of the different programmes, policies of the Panchayat. Our

experiences show that in spite of the presence of majority female members (85.08 %) with

the education level from primary, still large number of representatives have to sign or give

consent to any matter of Gram Panchayat without knowing and understanding detail of the

programmes. There are quite a huge number of illiterate or bare literate women entering the

GPs still after long years of reservation. Most of the women representatives are lacking in

“Quality” education. During interview most of the members with class V education confessed

that they couldn’t read and write well to discharge their duty. Very few we could find out

who know the Bihar Panchayat Act, 2006. Our suggestion in this regard is twofold :

(i) Lack of reading and writing skill is an important obstacle in role performance of

women members. Therefore, in order to develop reading and writing skill, a

functional course should be introduced for neo-literate and primary educated women

members, if possible, for all the women members of the GP. This course should be

based on the rules, laws, regulations, orders, and programmes of the GP. This course

should be conducted at the GP level for 10 to 15 weeks in the beginning of the term.

At least two days in a week (three hours in each day) should be allotted for this

functional education programmes. For this purpose we propose to establish a

Panchayat Academy.

(ii) A news bulletin should be published on GP activities by the Panchayat Samiti in

which the women members should be invited to write their opinions/ thinking/

problems. This will encourage them to develop their writing, reading skill, which

according to us, is very important in performing their role as a Panchayat member at

the grass root level.

With this lack of education, it is found from the survey that most of the women members are

the prey of abject poverty. Most of them are unemployed housewife from peasants’ family of

lower income group. This is another constraint for women to be successful performer of their

role. In order to maintain the family they have to give maximum time in agriculture or in

rearing cattle or mowing grass. Some of them work in the unorganised sector and help their

male counterparts in running the families. In some families, they are principal bread earners.

Under such circumstances, women participation (particularly from poor family) in the

Panchayat does not yield the desired result.

There should be monthly remuneration system for members in general and women members

in particular.

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The GPs, having majority SC population, the Panchayat is yet to relinquish its traditional

image. In this Gram -Panchayat, SC women are still playing insignificant role in Planning,

Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation activities of GPs. It has been observed that

awareness level of women members in these GPs is very poor. Their presence is very poor in

GP monthly meetings as compared to other GPs. Some are not aware of their membership.

They are frequently substituted by their male members of the family. These surrogate

representations are very much found in SC belts and to certain also in Non SC belts. Even,

some of the male members of the GP did not support the women reservation policy at the GP

level during their record interview. Such social constraints also include illiteracy. Thus this

problem should be addressed both by the political parties and administration introducing

education, training and more care towards the women members.

It has been seen that more than 50 % women members in SC and Non SC category do not

have a say or control in the family as they have low education and no money or assets.

In the time of interviews women members are frequently interrupted by their husbands or

kins. They are very much dependant on their husband or other male members of the family to

resolve any problems. Lack of confidence among women has made them too shy and

social rigidity also does not allow women to talk with others.

In the Party, it has been seen that most of the women members have neither political status

nor even political attachment. Majority of the women members have no experience about

Panchayats. It is revealed from the study that majority of the members (especially in

Masaurhi block in Patna) even have no political choice.

In the community, most of the members are honored. Though they are few in numbers but

some women have gained courage being regarded and honored by the people and coming out

of their restricted area of “Home”. Most of the women members are eager to do the

infrastructural development and also social development.

In Gram Panchayat, we have seen that there are still large number of representatives who

have to sign or give consent to any matter of Gram Panchayats without knowing and

understanding details of the programmes. Education is a vital indicator, which denotes to

what extent a woman member is equipped in terms of general awareness of the different

programmes, policies of the Panchayat. Of the women representatives interviewed during the

study, about one tenth representatives were to found barely literate. Most of the female

representatives in the GPs were not aware of rules and regulations of the GP, as they could

not read Panchayat manuals or books. This situation clearly shows that educational status of

the women members still lags behind in performing their role effectively.

It is true that in respect of different programmes, women members of GP virtually have no

role in implementation, monitoring and evaluation activities. We learnt that most of the

women members are not well equipped to initiate programmes on their own. This situation

suggests that there is need to introduce the leadership training for women at the GP

level. In a double member constituency consisting of one male member and one female

member, we have observed that the male member does not take care or share the

responsibilities with his female counterpart. The male member dominates over the female

member in discharging his role as a Panchayat member.

It also reveals that women representatives get little space for discharging their role

independently. Before GP meeting, they are directed about the programmes to be undertaken,

beneficiaries to be covered, and agendas to be discussed etc. by the leaders of political

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parties. Therefore, GP meetings are often considered by the elected representatives as formal

and routine affairs. The presence of women members at local level is rare. As a result, they

get little space to take part actively in the decision making process where actually decision

takes place.

Most of the women members who belong to SC community have to work in their family or to

help their male counterparts in running the families .Under such circumstances, women

participation (particularly from poor family) in the gram Panchayat does not yield the desired

result.

Though the women members want to do social works a lot but it has been found from the

field that Gram Panchayat members are acting like agents of implementing the governmental

schemes rather than the performer of local self-government. Actually this has been inherited

among them through their male surrogates.

This overall weak performance of the women members have been addressed by themselves

identifying so many constraints, social, economic, institutional and hierarchical.

Ineffectiveness of the existing training programme is a major problem for women

representatives in performing their role at the GP. The women representatives who have

attended any training programmes could not follow the lecture of the trainers. All the

representatives considered that such short training programme is not sufficient for acquiring

adequate knowledge in the subject. In many Panchayats these training programmes could not

be held due to various reasons. This problem should be addressed both by the administration

and also by the NGOs.

We have got various suggestions from the elected representatives-

• Both in SC women gram Panchayat and also in general gram Panchayat maximum

female members voted for quality training which they need just after the election

and very often . They also told that it would be helpful for them if they are trained up

on various issues or schemes.

• Members demanded for follow-up session after the training.

• Members asked for regular administrative monitoring

• Female representatives suggested for mobile training team which can facilitate the

backbenchers.

• Some reported that all the circulars and any scheme guidelines should be written or

translated in local languages so that they can perform better. Not only that they also

told that each member should get all these documents.

• The female members demanded for better honorarium so that they can give time in

Panchayat works instead of earning their bread.

• Few members told about vehicle and quarters for them so that members can give their

best.

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AAAANNEXURE NNEXURE NNEXURE NNEXURE 1111

VOICES FROM THE FIELD

What works for women members

are there? They are coming, as they

have to come. She sometimes

demands for her locality,

sometimes puts demand for her

own if she can get one IAY home

or old-age pension for her mother-

in-law. This type of demand

comes less from male members.

In our society women do not

speak out, male are used to

say always. But sometimes

they discuss. Arranging

marriage, taking dowry, etc

are their jurisdiction.

People say that women are now

free. But still I have no liberty

fully. To go somewhere or to buy

something I have to depend on

my husband or on my son. He

(husband) is boss, this notion

plays with me. Besides this, there

are more hindrances in the

village.

Reservation is not enough.

Health, Education, Awareness

training etc. should be

entangled with it. Without

power of Health, who will

work; without education and

awareness, who will

understand the task and who

will perform?

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The issue of women reservation in

Panchayats is quite perplexing. Most

of the women members do not

understand the task so well. They are

very much busy in handling their

household; they cannot give time to

perform the works of Panchayats. It is

very tough for them to keep

information regarding Panchayats

beyond their household works.

I support reservation. But

strategically, this is not right.

Because most of the women

members have come here to help

their husbands due to “quota.

Candidates are nominated

according to the family members.

She must have minimum

qualification of education level,

who occupies the seat of Mukhiya,

Sarpanch. Otherwise how can we

expect better result?

Government has implemented reservation, but

has no interest to make the women members

capable. All women members may not perform

up to the mark, but they are more sincere and

responsible than the male members. Trend of

corruption is less among the women.

Responsibility of their training lies in the

hands of government as well as Panchayat

department. But has B.D.O ever come to

monitor whether meetings and trainings have

been done or not, whether nodal officers are

coming or not? Governmental initiatives are

falling off.

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CHARTS FROM THE FIELD SURVEY

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REFERENCE

∼ Bhatt and Bhargava, 2005

∼ http://gov.bih.nic.in/Profile/default.htm

∼ Census 2001

∼ Study on EWRs in Panchayati Raj Institutions, Ministry of Panchayati Raj Government of

India

∼ State Election Commission, Bihar

∼ International Encyclopedia of Social Science.1968.VOL 15, Macmillan (p.250)

∼ Unappreciated Service: Performance, Perceptions, and Women Leaders in India (Esther Duflo

and Petia Topalova, October 2004)

∼ Panchayats at Work- What It Means for the Oppressed? (George Mathew Ramesh C Nayak)

∼ Dynamics of Local Governance in Karnataka (Kripa Ananthpur Asst. Professor, Madras

Institute of Development Studies, Chennai)

∼ Why Political Reservations? (Esther Du°o¤y, Department of Economics and Poverty Action

Lab, MIT, September 2004)

∼ The Challenge of Positive Discrimination in India (Judith Heyer and Niraja Gopal Jayal)

CRISE Working Paper No. 55, February 2009

∼ Rethinking the rotation term of Reserved Seats for Women in Panchayati Raj - Dr Nupur

Tiwari, Senior Consultant, Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India

(Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance Issue 3: May 2009)

∼ Deepening Democracy: Civil Society and Local Governance in India (Patrick Heller,

Department of Sociology, Brown University)

∼ Study on the Participation of Women in Panchayati Raj Institution (Shashi Kaul and Shradha

Sahni, Department of Community Resource Management and Extension, Government

College for Women Parade, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India)

∼ Political Economy of Panchayats in South India (Timothy Besley, Rohini Pande, Vijayendra

Rao)

∼ Inclusion and local elected governments: the Panchayati Raj System in India (Ruth J. Alsop,

Anirudh Krishna, Disa Sjoblom: edited by Samantha Forusz)

∼ The impact of reservation in Panchayati Raj in India: Evidence from a nationwide randomised

experiment (Raghavendra Chattopadhyayaand Esther Duflo) November 2003

∼ Elected women leaders at the threshold of local governance (Swati Dogra- has worked with

Aagaz Foundation, Delhi instrumental in setting up ‘Centre for Women’s Leadership’ for

elected women across five states in India. Issues of governance, inclusion, gender and

institutional building interest her)

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∼ Plight of Rural Dalit Women in India: A Sociological Analysis (Rajendra Prasad Jaiswal,

Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, India)

∼ Scheduled Communities: A social Development profile of SC/ST's (Bihar, Jharkhand & W.B)

∼ Empowerment of Women Panchayat Members: Learning from Kerala (Jos Chathukulam-

Centre for Rural Management, Kottayam; M.S. John- School of Gandhian Thought and

Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam)

∼ “Political Empowerment of Women at the Grassroots” by K.C. Vidya (1997.) states about

Women leadership and Women in Panchayati Raj.

∼ Leela Kasturi’s work “Development, Patriarchy, and Politics: Indian Women in the Political

Process, 1947-1992” (1995) states about the role of Women Polities in India from the time

period 1947 to 1992.

∼ “Where Women Are Leaders” by Kalima Rose (1992) reflects Women's Movement in India.

It also describes genesis of Self- Employment, Women's Association and Indian Women's

Co-operatives.

∼ “Status of Women in India” by The Indian council of Social science Research, (1975) has

described the political status of women In India

∼ “Women and Panchayati Raj” by Susheela Kaushik (1993) vividly describes the state of

Women in Panchayati Raj.

∼ Kamala Devi Chattopadhyay, in an article “Women in Public life” stated that unless and until

the women roused their voices demanding their rights as voter and public service from the

elected representatives; democracy would remain out of reach.

∼ A case study named “Women and politics: West Bengal” by Sanghamitra Sen Chaudhuri has

tried to get an answer: to what extent the legal declaration of equality of sexes has been

accompanied by equality in real life.

∼ “Politics India: The State-Society Interface”(2001), edited by Prof. Rakhahari Chatterji has

presented a comprehensive view of India’s politics during the last fifty years.

∼ According to “Political awareness and political participation of women in rural areas” by Ram

Ahuja (1985) political awareness and participation of rural women are very poor. But only

through the political empowerment women can gain social and economic status. Hence this

study prescribed for political reservation for women.

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Status report of the Women Panchayat representatives

In

Dalit Headed & Non –Dalit Headed Panchayat in Bihar

Interview schedule for Study supported by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust

[Investigators: This information should be obtained from PRI Members at Panchayat level. If any

information is unavailable, write NA.]

Village: _________ Panchayat: _____________ Block: ______________ District: _____________

Names of investigator: ________________ Date: ___________

1. Social Profile of the Respondent

1.1 Name of person interviewed: ______________________ 1.2 Post held: ---------------------------------

1.3 Age (Tick any 1)

a. 21-30

b. 31-40

c. 41-50

d. 50+

1.4. Type of Family (tick any 1) –

a. Nuclear

b. Joint

c. Other

1. 5 Caste (tick any 1) -

a. SC (Do you belong to Mahadalit category)

b. Specify the caste such as Pasi/Dhobi/Chamar/Dusadh/Musahar etc.)

c. ST

d. OBC

e. EBC

f. General

g. Other

1.6 Religion (tick any 1) –

a. Hindu

b. Muslim

c. Christian

d. Other (specify) ------------------

1. 8 Educational qualification (tick any 1) –

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1. Literate

2. Illiterate

3. Drop-outs

4. Up to 5th

5. 5TH-8TH class

6. Matric

7. Non-Matric

8. Inter

9. Graduate

10. Post Graduate

Last Attended ----------------

1. 9 Marital Status (tick any 1) –

1. Married

2. Unmarried

3. Divorced

4. Widow

1.9.1 If married, then how many children? (Tick any 1) –

a. None

b. One

c. Two

d. Three to four

e. Five to six

f. Seven or more than seven

1. 10 Land held by the respondent (tick any 1) –

a. Landless

b. Less than 1 acre

c. 1-5 acre

d. 5+ acres

1.11 Occupation (Tick any 1)

a. Agriculture

b. Domestic work (own/others- specify)

c. Business

d. Wage laborer

e. Others

1.11 Income group (tick any 1) –

a. APL -----------

b. BPL -----------

1.11.1 Do you have any other source of income, if yes then specify

1.11.1.2 If you have other source then what is your annual income? (Tick any 1) –

1. Less than 10,000

2. 10,001- 20,000

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3. 20,001 – 30,000

4. 30,001 – 40,000

5. 40,001– 50,000

6. 50,001 +

2. Demographic Characteristic of Panchayat

a. Number of Panchayat in Block -------------

b. Number of SC Headed Panchayat -------------

c. Number of SC Female headed Panchayat -------------

d. Number of Wards -------------

e. SC headed Wards ------------

f. Number of Households -------------

g. Total Population ------------

1. Number of Male ---------------

2. Number of Female -------------

3. Scheduled Castes population ------------

4. Scheduled Tribes population -------------

h. Average household size -------------

i. Sex Ratio (males per 1000 females) -------------

j. Sex Ratio (females per 1000 males) -------------

k. Literacy rate -------------

3. Does the Panchayat & Respondents have the following infrastructural facilities?

Infrastructure Facilities (1-Yes, 2-No. You can tick more than 1 if

available)

Panchayat

Respondent

3.1 Source of water

a. Tap inside household

b. Hand pump

c. Tap outside household

d. Well

e. Others

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3.2 Source of light and fire

1. Electricity

2. Solar

3. Other

4. Firewood

5. Gasoline

6. Kerosene

7. Solar

8. Charcoal

9. Coal

10. Oil lamp

3.3 Toilet facility

1. Open pit inside household

2. Open ditch or field

3. Shared with other household

3.4 House

1. Kutcha

2. Pukka

3. Hut

4. Own

5. Rented house

3.5 Schools

1. Primary

2. Middle

3. Secondary

4. Private

5. Missionary

3.6 Health Facilities

1. PHSS

2. Government Hospital

3. PHC

4. Private Doctor

5. ICDS

6. Others

3.7 Panchayat Bhawan

1. Yes

2. No

3.8 Anganwadi

1. Yes

2. No

3.9 Police station

1. Yes

2. No

3.10 Post Office

1. Yes

2. No

3.11 PDS shop/outlet

1. Yes

2. No

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4. Political background

4.1. Political Background of the Respondent

S.N Feedback

4.1.1 What was your age when you first started taking

interest in the political & public affairs?

4.1.2 Was there any important event that attracted you to

politics (If YES, then specify)

4.1.3 Was anyone in the family nominated earlier

4.1.4 Before reservation in the election did you ever get

nominated

4.1.5 Did you participate actively in politics before

election

4.1.6 Did you feel benefited after reservation

4.1.7 Did you receive support from the community during

election

4.1.8 Which political party are you currently associated

with (If YES, specify)

4.1.9 Have you held positions in the party? (If YES,

specify)

4.1.10 Nature of the position currently held by the

respondent

4.2 Pre- election

S.N Pre election Feedback

4.2.1 Did Reservation in the election inspired to

participate in election

4.2.2 Who was the source of Inspiration before filing

nomination

4.2.3 Did you fill the nomination form on your own

4.2.4 If no, then who filed the form on your behalf

4.2.5 What was your strategy during the campaign

4.2.6 Who supported the most

4.2.7 Did you received the full support from the

family

4.2.8 Who among the family member supported you

most

4.2.9 Difficulties faced during the campaign &

election

4.2.10 Did you receive support from any political

party

4.2.11 Did you face economic constraint during the

election

4.3 Types of pre-election activities (Tick as many applicable)

a. Meeting people to solve their problems

b. Participation in public affairs

c. Providing monetary help

d. Solving disputes

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e. No response

4.4 Difficulties faced during election (Tick as many applicable)

a. Discouragement

b. Wrong propaganda by opponents

c. Lack of funds

d. Pressure to withdraw from the contest

e. Problems in filling up nomination paper

f. Lack of conveyance

g. Convincing voters

h. Booth capturing

i. Lack of security

4. 5 Problems faced after being elected as the Panchayat Representative

4.5. 1 Problems faced by the elected members (tick as many applicable) –

a. Constraint of funds

b. Limited functions of members

c. Pressure of powerful persons

d. Fear of anti-social elements

e. Vested interest

f. Negligence by Govt. officials

g. Other

4.5.2 Reasons for poor participation in politics by scheduled caste members (tick as many applicable) –

a. Lack of education

b. Poverty

c. Lack of awareness

d. Fear of dominant persons

4.5.3. Suggestions for improving women’s participation

a. Giving training / education

b. Financial help

c. Attending meetings of Gram Sabha

d. Making themselves reliant

e. Positive attitude of government functionaries

f. Formation of Self Help Groups

4.5.4. Orientation training of Panchayat members

Source of training-

a. No training given

b. Govt. Officials

c. Voluntary Organisations

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4.5.5. Improvement in status of women members (tick as many applicable) –

a. Respect from all sections of society

b. Full participation in village affairs

c. Solving people’s problem

d. Invited in festivals

e. Improvement in economic condition

4.5.6 Mention some problems faced by the SC Population in your Panchayat?

S.N Problems faced by the SC Population in your Panchayat

a

b

c

4.5.7. In view of the above problems, what efforts have been made by you as a Panchayat member to

overcome them? (Tick as many applicable) –

a. Demand rights for Gram Sabha

b. Get problems solved by Gram Sabha

c. Get problems solved by Gram Kuchehry

d. Help some needy beneficiaries

e. Make best use of available resources

f. Contact Mukhia / Pramukh

g. Demand more funds from block

h. No response

5. Information about Panchayati Raj system

5.1 Are you aware of 50 percent reservation for women in Panchayat elections?

a. Yes

b. No

5.1.2 If yes, seats are reserved for -

a. SC

b. ST

c. OBC

d. All

5.2 Eligible age for voting in Panchayat election

a. 15 years

b. 18 years

c. 20 years

d. 21 years

5.3 Eligible age for contesting Panchayat election

a. 16 years

b. 30 years

c. 18 years

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d. 21years

5.4 What is the term of office for the elected representatives?

a. 2 years

b. 3 years

c. 4 years

d. 5 years

e. More than 5 years

5.5 Panchayat election is conducted by-

a. Mukhiya

b. Sarpanch

c. District Magistrate

d. Block Development officer

e. State Election Commission

f. Central government

5.6. Fee for contesting election for different posts in SC category

5.6.1 Fee deposited for contesting Panchayat election for the post of Gram Panchayat member by the SC

candidate (tick any 1) –

a. Rs. 100

b. Rs. 125

c. Rs. 150

d. Rs. 250

5.6.2 Fee deposited for contesting Panchayat election for the post of Mukhiya by the SC candidate (tick

any 1) –

a. Rs. 150

b. Rs. 200

c. Rs. 250

d. Rs. 500

5.6.3 Fee deposited for contesting Panchayat election for the post of Panch by the SC candidate (tick any

1) –

a. Rs. 100

b. Rs. 125

c. Rs. 150

d. Rs. 250

5.6.3 Fee deposited for contesting Panchayat election for the post of Sarpanch by the SC candidate (tick

any 1) –

a. Rs. 150

b. Rs. 200

c. Rs. 250

d. Rs. 500

5.6.4 Fee deposited for contesting Panchayat election for the post of Panchayat Samiti member by the SC

candidate (tick any 1) –

a. Rs. 150

b. Rs. 200

c. Rs. 250

d. Rs. 500

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5.6.3 Fee deposited for contesting Panchayat election for the post of Zill Parishad member by the SC

candidate-

a. Rs. 500

b. Rs. 1000

c. Rs. 1500

d. Rs. 2000

6. Information about development programmes

6.1. Considering all development Schemes during the last few years, which of the following schemes have

been implemented in your area (village/Panchayat)?

S.N Central/State government schemes Implemented Not

Implemented

No

response

6.1.1 Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar yojna

6.1.2 Jawahar Gram Samriddhi yojna

6.1.3 Indira Aawas yojna

6.1.4 MNREGA

6.1.5 District rural development Agency (DRDA)

Administration

6.1.6 Basic minimum services

6.1.7 Credit cum subsidy schemes for rural housing

6.1.8 Sampoorna Gramin Rojgar Yojna

6.1.9 Pradhan –Mantri Gramodaya yojna(Gramin Aawas)

6.1.10 Bihar Rural Employment Gurantee Schemes

6.1.11 MP Local Area Development Programmes

6.1.12 Credit Cum Subsidy Scheme for Rural Housing

6.2. Have you taken help from local M. Ps. and M.L.As for the implementation of schemes?

a. Help taken ----------------------

b. Help not taken -------------------

6.2.1 If help taken, then tick 1 or more than 1 purpose, if applicable:

a. Road construction

b. Making drains

c. Hand pumps

d. Panchayat Bhavan

e. Making Bandh

f. Repairing of Ahar

g. Repairing of School building

h. Repairing of Pond

6.3 Awareness regarding the Stipend Schemes running by the Welfare departments

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S.N Type of stipend

scheme Rate/month (in Rs.)

Are you aware

about the

schemes

5.3.1 Education Yes No

6.3.1.1 Post Matric As per the GOI rates which ranges between Rs.90/- to

Rs.740/- for different courses

6.3.1.2 High School Stipend

(Class 7 to 10) 55/-

6.3.1.3.

Middle School

Stipend (Class 5 to

6)

30/-

6.3.1.4.

Primary School

Stipend (Class 1 to

4)

15/-

6.3.1.5 Mushahar stipend 30/-

6.3.1.6 Hostellers 80/-

6.3.1.7. Stipend for technical

courses

150/-

6.3.1.8.

Stipend to wards of

the people engaged

in unclean

occupation

As per GOI rates

6.3.1.9 Residential Schools

Students are admitted on the basis of merit in these schools

and they are provided free boarding, lodging and education.

6.3.1.10 Uniform to Girl

Two sets of dresses are provided every year at a cost of

Rs.250/- per set on availability of funds.

6.3.1.11

Hostel Scheme

Welfare Department is running hostel schemes for SC, ST

and OBCs. In these hostels, only residential facility is

provided to the students. The student in those hostel run mess

by themselves. For the messes the Govt. provides cook-cum-

servant to cook food.

6.3.1.12

Scheme of

Remedial Coaching

at Undergraduate

and Postgraduate

Level for (i)

Scheduled Caste

and Scheduled

Tribe Students

Remedial Coaching is to be organized at Undergraduate /

Postgraduate level with a view to improve the academic skills

and linguistic proficiency of the students in various subjects.

To raise their level of comprehension of basic subjects to

provide a stronger foundation for further academic work

6.3.2 Health

6.3.2.1 Ayurvedic Medical

Centres

In these centres Ayurvedic Medical Officers are posted to

provide medical advices to the ST people, medicines are also

provided in these centres free of cost.

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6. 3.2.2 Medical Aid and

Legal Aid

For providing assistance to SC and ST people for carrying out

medical treatment the scheme of "Medical Aid" is being run.

Under this scheme assistance from Rs.300/- and up to

Rs.1000/- is provided as per the need for medical treatment.

6.3.3 Legal Awareness

6.3.3.1

Assistance under

SC, ST Atrocities

Prevention

Act,1989/PCR Act,

1955

SC, ST Atrocities Prevention Act 1989 was enacted to

provide protection to the SC, St people from atrocities

committed by other castes of the Society. A rule has been

made which is known as "SC, ST Atrocities Prevention Rule

1995" The Home Commissioner of the State is the nodal

officer for the implementation of the Act. Under this act, 9

SC/ST Police stations are working in the State.

6.3.4 Livelihood

6.3.4.1 Swarnjayanti

Gram Swarojgar

Yojna"

Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojna there is provision to

give up to Rs.10, 000/- maximum subsidy to avail the benefit

of the scheme. The State Govt. also provide 5% additional

subsidy from State Plan funds.

6.3.4.2

MNREGA

6.4. Since independence quite a few programmes have been undertaken for the development & welfare of

the rural people. Thinking of your areas (panchayat) which are some of the major programmes that have

been carried out during the last few years

S.N Schemes/programmes carried out during the last few years

6.4.1

6.4.2

6.4.3

6.4.4

6.4.5

6.4.1How did you come to know about the schemes (tick 1 or more)-

a. District Panchayat Officer

b. State government officials

c. Central government officials

d. Block official

e. Mukhiya

f. Panchayat Sevak

g. NGO

h. Other (specify)

6.5. Are you satisfied with the Schemes/Programmes?

a. Yes --------

b. No ---------

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6.5.1 If No, then explain:

6.6. Specify some schemes/programmes that would benefit your Panchayat

6.7. Development programmes have been extended to all the districts, blocks & panchayat but it is the

general experience that some districts, blocks & panchayat have done better than others. Comparing

your area (Panchayat) to others, would you say that it has done ----

a. Much better than others

b. Somewhat better than others

c. Not better than others

d. Worse than others

6.7.1 In Case of much better, ask what it is due to

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6.7.2 In Case of worse than others, answer why it has performed badly

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. 8. Agencies for Programmes

S.N Agency for Programmes In your opinion which three agencies suits best to run

Development programmes & Schemes

6.8.1 Village Panchayat

6.8.2 Panchayat Samiti

6.8.3 Block/District officials

6.8.4 Zilla Parishad

6.8.5 State Government officials

6.8.6 Central Government officials

S.N Schemes/programmes needed for the growth of SC/ST & Minorities group

6.6.1

6.6.2

6.6.3

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6.8.7 INGOs/NGOs

6.8.9 Other (Specify)

6.9 Considering all development work during the last five years, which of the following groups have

benefited more from development work than others?

S.N Groups being more benefited Benefited Less

benefited

No response

6.9.1 Type of Family

6.9.1.1 APL Family

6.9.1.2 BPL Family

6.9.2 Caste

6.9.2.1 General

OBC

6.9.2.2 Schedule Caste

6.9.2.3 Schedule Tribe

6.9.2.4 Minorities

6.9.3 Occupation

6.9.3.1 Unskilled worker

6.9.3.2 Farmer

6.9.3.3 Share cropper

6.9.3.4 Big farmer

6.9.3.5 Tennant cultivators

6.9.3.6 Artisan

6.9.3.7 Medium size cultivators

6.9.3.8 Small businessmen

6.9.3.9 Big Businessmen

6.9.3.10 Service caste(Barber, dhobi)

6.9.3.11 Shopkeeper

6.9.3.12 Service caste

6.10 During the past couple of years several special benefits are said to have been given to rural people

and how far have they benefited?

S.N Benefit to rural people Benefited Not

benefited

No

response

6.10.1 Improved seeds

6.10.2 Chemical fertilizers

6.10.3 Irrigation

6.10.4 House sites

6.10.5 Land to landless

6.10.6 Bank loans

6.10.7 Subsidy

6.10.8 Improved, implements promotion of small scale industry

6.10.9 Old age pension

6.10.10 Free education ,books, dress & meals for the student in the

government schools/KGBV & Other missionary schools in

your Panchayat

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6.10.11 Free medical checkup & medicine at Sub-PHC

6.11 considering all development Schemes during the last few years, which of the following schemes have

been directly intervened by the Gram Panchayat of the area for the benefit of the Dalit community?

a. Construction of Indira Awas

b. Road Construction/ repair

c. Installation of Hand pumps

d. Repair of school buildings

e. Repair / construction of drains

f. Distribution of Red cards

g. Antyodaya scheme

h. Scholarship to students

i. Old age pension

j. Construction of community hall

k. Annapurna scheme

l. Others

7. Involvement & Support extended by you as the Member of Panchayat to your community?

7. 1. It has been seen that people engage in different kinds of act for drawing attention of concerned

authorities to press their demands & grievances. How frequently people of your area engage in it.

Opinion regarding participation Frequently Sometime Rarely No response

a) Gram Sabha

b) Village level meets

c) Improvement in Standing committees

after elections

d) Attending special meetings/emergency

meetings

e) Creating awareness about schemes

f) Supervision the work implementation

g) Health Issues

h) Education

i) Suggestion for empowerment of dalits

j) Motivating to participate in Panchayat

activities

k) Encouraging women’s participation in

different schemes

l) Keeping a watch on income and

expenditure

m) Attending meeting

n) Promoting SHGs, women’s cooperatives

o) Emphasis on adult education

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p) Help in office work (as a Panchayat

member)

q) Abolition of child labor

practices/domestic violence

r) Taking problems to the Mukhia (as a

Member)

s) Trafficking

t) Others(specify)

7.2 Assessment of your Gram Panchayat

S.N Records details Minutes of

Gram

Sabha

Minutes of

Gram

Panchayat

Shelf of

projects

Job Card

Register

Employment

Register

1. Is this document available for

public scrutiny within your

Gram Panchayat?

(yes/no)

2. Have you been able to see it?

(yes/no)

3. If not, why?

4. Is this document up to date?

(yes/no)

5. If not, why?

6. How would you rate the

standard of maintenance of this

document?

[1 = good; 2 = fair; 3 = poor; 4

= very poor; 5 = unable to

assess]

7. Describe briefly the most

recent entries (content, quality,

accuracy etc.)

8. Further comments (if any)

7.3 Is support provided by you to encourage the Schedule caste women for improving their living

standard & their participation in Decision Making?

S.N Support provided to Encourage SC Women Yes No No

response

a. Are there any programme strategies explicitly targeting women?

b. Are assumptions being made about gender difference and inequality?

c. Are loans available for poor women

d. Do women have equal access to all types of loan?

e. Are there concrete incentives for implementation of empowerment

strategies?

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f. Economic participation increase women’s ownership of assets

g. Are gender impact and empowerment integrated into monitoring and

evaluation?

h. Do loan packages encourage women to enter non-traditional and more

lucrative activities or entry into new markets

i. Men may control decisions about use of women’s savings and credit,

women's incomes may be very low and men may control the income from

these.

j. Do women make decisions about use of savings and credit in the household?

k.

Women's expenditure and household management decisions may continue to

favors Boys while girls are withdrawn from school in order to do unpaid

household work in their mother's absence

7.4. There is occasions when people take their grievances & complaints to leaders like you (PRIs). In such

situation which of the following do you generally do & which you do not do generally?

S.N When people take their grievances & complaints to

leaders like you. In such situation

generally

do

generally

do not do

No response

Take up the matters with relevant officials

Refers it to Panchayat officials like sarpanch ,Mukhiyas

Represent before upper level leaders like M.L.A, M.P or

Ministers

Involve Party leaders

Resort Some kind of direct action like dharna, morcha or

demonstration

Handle it personally

7.5. Assessment about themselves as a Panchayat leader

S.N Opinion regarding leaders Strongly

agree

Agree Disa

gree

Strongly

disagree

No

response

1. Leaders who are over concerned

about resolving conflicts can never

carry out community programmes

successfully

2. Participation of as many citizens as

possible in decision making is

necessary even it takes a lot of time

and expenditures

3. Allowing many people to have their

say in matter pertaining to the village

will only interfere with getting things

done

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7.6. Support from Officials

S.N When people take their grievances & complaints to leaders

like you. In such situation which of the following officials

Most

helpful

Least

helpful

No response

1. Panchayat officials

2. Block Officials

3. District officials

4. State government Officials

5. Central government Officials

8. Other sources of support to the Panchayat Members

8. 1. There are several groups & communities .Thinking of your area-

8.1.1 Which groups & Communities extend the maximum support to you?

8.1.2 Which groups & Communities extend you the least support?

8. 2. There is much talking about decentralization these days? Do you think that the panchayat leaders

should have the same power as they have today or that they should be given more powers?

a. Same Power

b. More power

c. No response

i. If the answer is Same Power, explain

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ii. If the answer is More power, explain

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------

9. Success & Failures

9.1. As a leader of their area (village/panchayat) for the last 4 years what are their major achievements?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9.2. What do you consider to be your major failure regarding your responsibility towards Panchayat that

you would have liked to fulfill but failed to do so?

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10. Future Planning

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10. 1. Some people say that whatever progress was made over the last few years through government

planning has benefited only the well –to-do or, have the poor & needy also benefited from such progress?

a. All

b. Poor & needy have also benefited

c. Benefits have gone to the well-to-do

d. None

e. No response

10. 2. If you are re-elected, considering your plan for the future, to what programmes & activities would

you like to devote your time most?

11. Have you faced violence while contesting election?

a. Yes

b. No

12.1 If yes, what was the form of violence? (Tick any 1or more than 1 if applicable)

a. Physical

b. Mental

c. Verbal

d. Other (Specify)

12.2 Who was the inflictor? Specify

12.3 Were you able to fight back? If yes, then how?

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Status report of the Women Panchayat representatives

In

Dalit Headed & Non –Dalit Headed Panchayat in Bihar

Study supported by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust

[Investigators: This information should be obtained from the community member at Panchayat level. If

any information is unavailable, write NA.]

Village: _________ Panchayat: _____________ Block: ______________District:_____________

Names of investigators: ________________ Investigator's Code: ______________Date:___________

I. Social Profile of the Respondent

1.1 Name of person interviewed: ______________________ 1.2 Work: -----------------------------------

1.3 Age (Tick any 1)

e. 21-30

f. 31-40

g. 41-50

h. 50+

1.4. Type of Family (tick any 1) –

d. Nuclear

e. Joint

f. Other

1. 5 Caste (tick any 1) -

h. SC (Do you belong to Mahadalit category)

i. Specify the caste such as Pasi/Dhobi/Chamar/Dusadh/Musahar etc.)

j. ST

k. OBC

l. EBC

m. General

n. Other

1.6 Religion (tick any 1) –

e. Hindu

f. Muslim

g. Christian

h. Other (specify) ------------------

1. 7 Educational qualification (tick any 1) –

11. Literate

12. Illiterate

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13. Drop-outs

14. Up to 5th

15. 5TH-8TH class

16. Matric

17. Non-Matric

18. Inter

19. Graduate

20. Post Graduate

Last Attended ----------------

1. 8 Marital Status (tick any 1) –

5. Married

6. Unmarried

7. Divorced

8. Widow

1.8.1 If married, then how many children? (Tick any 1) –

g. None

h. One

i. Two

j. Three to four

k. Five to six

l. Seven or more than seven

1. 9 Land held by the respondent (tick any 1) –

e. Landless

f. Less than 1 acre

g. 1-5 acre

h. 5+ acres

1.10 Occupation (Tick any 1)

f. Agriculture

g. Domestic work (own/others- specify)

h. Business

i. Wage laborer

j. Others

1.11 Income group (tick any 1) –

c. APL -----------

d. BPL -----------

1.11.1 Do you have any other source of income, if yes then specify

1.11.1.2 If you have other source then what is it and what is your annual income? (Tick any 1) –

7. Less than 10,000

8. 10,001- 20,000

9. 20,001 – 30,000

10. 30,001 – 40,000

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11. 40,001– 50,000

12. 50,001 +

2. Prevailing infrastructural facilities for Panchayat & Respondents?

Infrastructure Facilities (1-Yes, 2-No. Tick as many as

applicable )

Panchayat

Respondent

2.1 Source of water

f. Tap inside household

g. Hand pump

h. Tap outside household

i. Well

j. Others

2.2 Source of light and fire

11. Electricity

12. Solar

13. Other

14. Firewood

15. Gasoline

16. Kerosene

17. Solar

18. Charcoal

19. Coal

20. Oil lamp

2.3 Toilet facility

4. Open pit inside household

5. Open ditch or field

6. Shared with other household

2.4 House

6. Kutcha

7. Pukka

8. Hut

9. Own

10. Rented house

2.5 Schools

6. Primary

7. Middle

8. Secondary

9. Private

10. Missionary

11. Madarsa

2.6 Health Facilities

7. PHSS

8. Government Hospital

9. PHC

10. Private Doctor

11. ICDS

12. Others

2.7 Panchayat Bhawan

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3. Yes

4. No

2.8 Anganwadi

3. Yes

4. No

2.9 Police station

3. Yes

4. No

2.10 Post Office

3. Yes

4. No

2.11 PDS shop/outlet

3. Yes

4. No

3. Benefits of being a member of the SC community

3.1 Does the respondent feels that being a member of the SC community she/he has benefited from the

dalit head of Panchayat?

a. Yes

b. No

3.2 If yes, then can she/he mention some of the benefits received through SC PRIs Member in their

Panchayat?

S.N Benefits received through SC PRIs Member

1

2

3

4. Information about development programmes

4.1 Are you aware about the development schemes?

a. Yes

b. No

If yes, name them

4.2 Considering all development Schemes during the last few years, which of the following development

schemes have been implemented in your area (Panchayat)?

S.N Central/State government schemes Implemented Not

Implemented

No

response

1. Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar yojna

2. Jawahar Gram Samriddhi yojna

3. Indira Aawas yojna

4. MNREGA

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5. District rural development Agency (DRDA)

Administration

6. Basic minimum services

7. Credit cum subsidy schemes for rural housing

8. Sampoorna Gramin Rojgar Yojna

9. Pradhan –Mantri Gramodaya yojna(Gramin Aawas)

10. Bihar Rural Employment Gurantee Schemes

11. MP Local Area Development Programmes

12. Credit Cum Subsidy Scheme for Rural Housing

4.3. How did you come to know about the schemes (tick 1 or more)-

i. District Panchayat Officer

j. State government officials

k. Central government officials

l. Block official

m. Mukhiya

n. Panchayat Sevak

o. NGO

p. Other (specify)

4.4 Awareness regarding the Stipend Schemes running by the Welfare departments

S.N Type of stipend

scheme Rate/month (in Rs.)

Are you aware

about the

schemes

Education Yes No

1. Post Matric As per the GOI rates which ranges between Rs.90/-

to Rs.740/- for different courses

2.

High School

Stipend (Class 7

to 10)

55/-

3.

Middle School

Stipend (Class 5

to 6)

30/-

4.

Primary School

Stipend (Class 1

to 4)

15/-

5. Mushahar stipend 30/-

6. Hostellers 80/-

7. Stipend for

technical courses 150/-

8.

Stipend to wards

of the people

engaged in

unclean

As per GOI rates

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occupation

9 Residential

Schools

Students are admitted on the basis of merit in these

schools and they are provided free boarding, lodging

and education.

10 Uniform to Girl Two sets of dresses are provided every year at a

cost of Rs.250/- per set on availability of funds.

11

Hostel Scheme

Welfare Department is running hostel schemes for

SC, ST and OBCs. In these hostels, only residential

facility is provided to the students. The student in

those hostel run mess by themselves. For the messes

the Govt. provides cook-cum-servant to cook food.

Scheme of

Remedial

Coaching at

Undergraduate

and

Postgraduate

Level for (i)

Scheduled Caste

and Scheduled

Tribe Students

Remedial Coaching is to be organized at

Undergraduate / Postgraduate level with a view to

improve the academic skills and linguistic

proficiency of the students in various subjects.

To raise their level of comprehension of basic

subjects to provide a stronger foundation for further

academic work

Health

12 Ayurvedic

Medical Centres

In these centres Ayurvedic Medical Officers are

posted to provide medical advices to the ST people,

medicines are also provided in these centres free of

cost.

13 Medical Aid and

Legal Aid

For providing assistance to SC and ST people for

carrying out medical treatment the scheme of

Medical Aid is being run. Under this scheme

assistance from Rs.300/- and up to Rs.1000/- is

provided as per the need for medical treatment.

Legal Awareness

14

Assistance

under SC, ST

Atrocities

Prevention

Act,1989/PCR

Act, 1955

SC, ST Atrocities Prevention Act 1989 was enacted

to provide protection to the SC, St people from

atrocities committed by other castes of the Society.

A rule have been made which is known as "SC, ST

Atrocities Prevention Rule 1995" The Home

Commissioner of the State is the nodal officer for

the implementation of the Act. Under this act, 9

SC/ST Police stations are working in the State.

Livelihood

15

Swarnajayanti

Gram

Swarojgar

Yojna

Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojna there is

provision to give up to Rs.10, 000/- maximum

subsidy to avail the benefit of the scheme. The State

Govt. also provide 5% additional subsidy from State

Plan funds.

16

NREGA

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4.5. Since independence quite a few programmes have been undertaken for the development & welfare of

the rural people. Thinking of your areas (village/Panchayat) which are some of the major programmes

that have been carried out during the last few years by your Panchayat

S.N Schemes/programmes carried out during the last five years

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

4.6. Are you satisfied with the Schemes/Programmes?

a. Yes -----

b. No -----

4.6.1 If No, then explain

4.6.2. Specify some schemes/programmes which are more important for the benefit of your Panchayat

4.7.2 Development programmes have been extended to all the districts, blocks & Panchayat but it is the

general experience that some districts, blocks & Panchayat have done better than others. How would you

rate your area (Panchayat) compared to others --

e. Much better than others -----

f. Somewhat better than others -----

g. Not better than others -----

h. Worse than others -----

4.7.2.1 In Case of much better, ask what it is due to

4.7.2.2 In Case of worse than others, answer why has it performed badly

4. 8. Agency for Programmes

S.N Agency for Programmes In your opinion which three agencies suits best to run

Government programmes & Schemes

1. Village Panchayat

2. Panchayat Samiti

3. Zilla Panchayat

4. State Government

5. Central Government

S.N Schemes/programmes needed for the growth of SC/ST & Minorities group

1.

2.

3.

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6. NGOs

7. Other

4.9 Considering all development work during the last few years, which of the following groups have

benefited more from development work than others?

S.N Groups being more benefited Benefited Less

benefited

No response

Type of Family

1. APL Family

2. BPL Family

Caste

3. General

4. OBC

5. Schedule Caste

6. Schedule Tribe

7. Minorities

Occupation

8. Unskilled worker

9. Farmer

10. Share cropper

11. Big farmer

12. Tennant cultivators

13. Artisan

14. Medium size cultivators

15. Small businessmen

16. Big Businessmen

17. Service caste(Barber, dhobi)

18. Shopkeeper

19. Service caste

4. 10 mention some problems faced by the SC Population of your Panchayat in getting the benefit of

schemes?

S.N Problems faced by the SC Population in your Panchayat

B.1

B.2

B.3

4.11 Considering all development Schemes during the last few years, which of the following schemes have

been directly intervened by Mukhiyas of your area (Panchayat)?

4.11.1 In view of the above problems, what efforts have been made by you as a community member to

overcome them? (Tick as many applicable) –

i. Demand rights for Gram Sabha

j. Get problems solved by Gram Sabha

k. Get problems solved by Gram Kuchehry

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l. Help some needy beneficiaries

m. Make best use of available resources

n. Contact Mukhia / Pramukh

o. Demand more funds from block

p. No response

5. Perception about political participation of women in Panchayat

5.1 Are you aware of 50 percent reservation for women in Panchayat elections?

c. Yes

d. No

5.1.2 If yes, seats are reserved for -

e. SC

f. ST

g. OBC

h. All

5.2 Reasons for poor participation in politics by scheduled caste members (tick as many applicable)

e. Lack of education

f. Poverty

g. Lack of awareness

h. Fear of dominant persons

5.2.1 Suggestions for improving women’s participation

g. Giving training / education

h. Financial help

i. Attending meetings of Gram Sabha

j. Making themselves reliant

k. Positive attitude of government functionaries

l. Formation of Self Help Groups

5.3 Do you find any improvement in the status of SC women members (tick 1 or as many applicable) –

a. Respect from all sections of society

b. Full participation in village affairs

c. Solving people’s problem

d. Invited in festivals

e. Improvement in economic condition

5.3.1 Have you supported your women members in discharging their duties and has it improved their

status?

a. Yes

b. No

5.4 Are you aware of women candidates being subjected to violence while contesting Panchayat election?

a. Yes

b. No

5.4.1 If yes, then define the forms of violence (Tick 1 or more than 1 if applicable) -

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11

a. Verbal

b. Physical

c. Mental

d. Other

5.4.2 Have women been successful in resisting violence?

a. Yes

b. No

6. Involvement & participation of the PRIs member in the opinion of community members

6.1. In your opinion, how frequently PRIs members get involved in it.

S.N Opinion regarding participation Frequently Sometime Rarely No

response

1. Gram Sabha

2. Village level meets

3. Attending special meetings/emergency

meetings

4. Involvement in solving disputes

5. Emphasis on Health Issues

6. Emphasis on Education

7. Suggestion for empowerment of dalits

8. Motivating to participate in Panchayat

activities

9. Promoting SHGs, women’s cooperatives

10. Emphasis on adult education

11. Abolition of child labor practices

12. Trafficking

13. Dowry

14. Migration

15. Others(specify)

6.2 Assessment of the Gram Panchayat

S.N Records details Minutes

of Gram

Sabha

Minutes of

Gram

Panchayat

Shelf of

projects

Job Card

Register

Employment

Register

9. Is this document available for

public scrutiny within your

Gram Panchayat?

(yes/no)

10. Are you able to see it?

(yes/no)

11. How would you rate the

standard of maintenance of

this document?

[1 = good; 2 = fair; 3 = poor;

4 = very poor; 5 = unable to

assess]

12. Describe briefly the most

recent entries (content,

quality, accuracy etc.)

13. Further comments (if any)

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6.3 Do the PRI members support and encourage the Schedule caste women for improving their living

standard & their participation in Decision making

S.N Support provided to Encourage the Women SC Yes No No

response

1. Are there any programme strategies explicitly targeting women?

2. Are assumptions being made about gender difference and inequality?

3. Are loans available for poor women

4. Do women have equal access to all types of loan?

5. Are there concrete incentives for implementation of empowerment

strategies?

6. Economic participation increase women’s ownership of assets

7. Are gender impact and empowerment integrated into monitoring and

evaluation?

8. Do loan packages encourage women to enter non-traditional and more

lucrative activities or entry into new markets

9. Men may control decisions about use of women’s savings and credit,

women's incomes may be very low and men may control the income from

these.

Do women make decisions about use of savings and credit in the

household?

10. Women's expenditure and household management decisions may

continue to favors Boys while girls are withdrawn from school in order to

do unpaid household work in their mother's absence

6.4 There are occasions when people take their grievances & complaints to PRIs members; in such a

situation did your community receive any support from them?

S.N When people take their grievances & complaints to

Panchayat leaders. In such situation -

generally

do

generally

do not do

No response

Take up the matters with relevant officials

Refers it to Panchayat officials like sarpanch ,Mukhiyas

Represent before upper level leaders like M.L.A, M.P or

Ministers

Involve Party leaders

Resort to some kind of direct action like dharna, morcha or

demonstration

Handle it personally

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6.4 Community’s opinion regarding PRIs leaders

S.

N

Opinion regarding leaders Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly

disagree

No

response

4. Leaders who are over

concerned about resolving

conflicts can never carry out

community programmes

successfully

5. Participation of as many

citizens as possible in decision

making is necessary even it

takes a lot of time and

expenditures

6. Allowing many people to have

their say in matter pertaining to

the village will only interfere

with getting things done

6.5 What in your opinion are problems faced by the Panchayat members in performing their roles (such

as implementing schemes, supporting the SC members of the community etc.)

7. Community’s opinion regarding Officials

S.N When the community take their grievances & complaints to

State/central officials. In such situation at which level they

receive support more

Most

helpful

Least

helpful

No response

6. Village officials

7. Block Officials

8. District officials

9. State Officials

10. Central Officials

8. Benefits

8. 1. Being from an SC community what are the major benefits received by you or your community as a

whole? If yes, then specify.

a. Yes

b. No

8. 2. Being from an SC community headed by a non-Dalit member have you received any major benefits?

Specify in either case

a. Yes

b. No

8.3. Increase in the status of SC community members

f. Respect from all sections of society

g. Full participation in village affairs

h. Invited in festivals

i. Improvement in economic conditio

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