women's participation in panchayat raj institution of belgaum district in ...

WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN PANCHAYAT RAJ INSTITUTION OF BELGAUM DISTRICT IN KARNATAKA STATE DR. CHANDRASHEKHAR C. BANASODE, DR. SANGEETHA R. MANE, MR. CHIDANAND U. DHAVALESHWAR and DR. RAVIKANTH B. LAMANI

Key Words; Women, Participation, Politics, Panchayat Raj and Motivation. ABSTRACT Women constitute about half of India’s population. Women have been an integral part of social structure not only because of their importance in the perpetuation of human race but also by virtue of their significant contribution to socio-economic progress, virtually. Despite this, women have been subjected to discrimination because of the gender-bias in the social outlook and social practices resulting in denial of equality of status and opportunities in social economic and political spheres. The present study is done on role of Women in Panchayat Raj institution. In this study an attempt is made and the focus of attention has been concentrated mainly to secure women’s representatives of panchayat system to seek responses about their opinion and views regarding their political awareness. Further, this research study would like to make an enquiry about the extent of women’s participation in the Panchayat Raj system, and to further analyze and estimate the type of role, which women play in Panchayat Raj system Of Athani and chikkodi blocks of Belagavi district karnatak state.

INTRODUCTION The place of women in rural India in social, economic and political spheres is more depressed than that of their urban counterparts, although these women have been contributing significantly to the social and economic progress of country, their participation in development programmes have not been appreciated hence little place is there for women in development programmes and they are treated only as passive beneficiaries rather than active contributors. Politically speaking women remain Dr. Chandrashekhar C. Banasode, Teaching Assistant, Rani Channamma University, Belagavi. Dr. Sangeetha R. Mane. Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Karnatak University, Dharwad – 580003. E-mail ID: [email protected]. Mr. Chidanand U. Dhavaleshwar, Teaching Assistant, Rani Channamma University, Belagavi. Dr. Ravikanth B. Lamani. Capacity Building Assistant, GFATM-7, Department of Social Work, Karnatak University, Dharawad-580 003. E-mail ID: [email protected]

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largely inactive and indifferent due to various socio-economic constraints and also due to the absence of serious political and social motivation, political participation of women except for some election positions, as campaigners and as voters, have been very negligible. Therefore, women remain at the periphery of political and development issues.

Realizing such a disappointing state of women the Balwantrai Mehta (1957) and Ashok Mehta (1978) committee, considered the need for involving women in the political and developmental processes through Panchayat Raj institutions by means of co-option. This according to the said committees may provide a channel to integrate women into the developmental and political processes. Accordingly, women have been inducted into the Panchayat Raj Institutions in almost all the states in India. But their representation has been nominal and whoever was being inducted, mostly turned out to be passive members. The co-option was done only in letter and not in the spirit of getting women involved meaningfully in the political and development activities of the Panchayat Raj bodies, therefore, co-option did not bring any perceptible impact on women’s participation in Panchayat Raj institutions. As a result, women did not gain much from the political and development processes at grass root level. Of late, it has been realized that unless women are involved in the development process, the overall socio-economic development of the country cannot be fully realized. Further, the participation of women in political sphere has been felt essential because they could only represent women’s opinions adequately and deal effectively with the problems affecting women and children. Further they can be effective link between women and the development functionaries and ensure as many development benefits as possible for women and children. Hence reservation of seats for women has been introduced in Panchayat Raj bodies in accordance with the constitutional provisions (73 Amendment). In this regard, Karnataka State became model to the other states by giving a relatively better statutory representation (25 percent) for women on its Panchayat Raj bodies by the Panchayat Raj Act of 1983 even before the recent constitutional amendment came into force. Thus women in Karnataka got adequate scope to participate effectively in the political and development processes on an equal plane with male members.

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There has been very few studies Campbell (1960) and his associates conducted survey on women’s participation in Panchayat Raj Institution note that female involvement in politics is lower than that of males. However, lower voting rates are not associated with weaker party identification or with the lack of a sense of civic obligation. But with a weak sense of political efficacy “Men are more likely than women to feel that they can cope with complexities of politics and to believe that their participation carries some weight are in the political process. Muzumdar (1979) reported that, the populations covered by these studies are generally from urban areas with a sprinkling of rural women. The general view is that women in India are showing signs of political awakening but that their progress is hindered by social handicaps such as illiteracy, cultural norms, domestic pressures, dependency on men, etc. By and large, the few women who have emerged significantly into political prominence are those who are “economically well off” and who belong to the upper strata of society. Women’s participation in Panchayat Raj has immediate as well as long-term implications in as much as their leadership in quantitative term in just too much below their own potent reason why social evils afflicting our women folk could not be banished despite some legislation is enacted against them. Numbers do matter in every walk of life. Even in some countries of South-East Asia like China, Thailand etc., there is no work in urban or rural areas which is the sole preserve of men folk. Both work together in unison with no discrimination of any sort and as such both are equally important to contribute their mite in governmental dispensation as also in political activities.

Hence, in the immediate future the rural women have to take up the cudgels and reap the full advantage of the opportunities now given to them to participate in rural affairs through the medium of Panchayat Raj Institutions. If they do not, their case would go by default forever and it would then not lie in their mouth to say that they are being discriminated against. As far as knowledge or understanding of affairs is concerned both male and female population in rural areas stand on the same footing with just a marginal difference here and there. But in any case, where illiteracy amongst women is rampant they can take effective steps to spread school education for girls on a compulsory basis in the long-run surely female residents of villages will not be behind the males, Joshi (1994 20-21). 3

OBJECTIVES 

To know the political awareness among women.



To understand the political participation of people.



To estimate role of women in Panchayat Raj System.

METHODOLOGY In accordance with the objectives of the present study, a simple random sampling method was used. On the basis of this method; individual respondents were selected under this study. It may be noted that women representatives irrespective of their age were included in the sample. Hence the study includes 32 respondents of Gram Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat members of Athani and Chikodi taluka of Belgaum district in Karnataka.

RESULTS The results of present study are given under the following headings and tables.

TABLE-01: REASONS FOR JOINING POLITICS Sl. No.

Reasons

1

G.P. Member

Z.P.Member

T. P. Member Athani Chikkodi

Athani

Chikkodi

Total

Athani

Chikkodi

Self Interest

26 (26%)

23 (23%)

07 (58.33)

04 (30.77)

03 (100%)

03 (75%)

66 (28.45%)

2

By family force

54 (54%)

64 (64%)

03 (25.00)

06 (46.66)

00

01 (25%)

128 (55.17%)

3

Social force

13 (13%)

08 (08%)

00

02 (15.38)

00

00

23 (09.92%)

4

Women force

07 (07%)

09 (09%)

02 (16.67)

01 (07.69)

00

00

15 (06.46%)

Total

100 (100%)

100 (100%)

12 (100%)

13 (100%)

03 (100%)

04 (100%)

232 (100%)

Note: Figures in the brackets are percentages to total.

Family pressure seems to have been the main reason for the women joining politics, as a majority i.e. 128 (55.17%) of the respondents reported this way. While, the other reasons in a depreciating order were as follows: 66(28.45%) joined on their 4

own accord i.e. by sheer self interest, while 23(09.92%) joined due to social force and remaining 15(06.46%) joined due to the women’s pressure motivations. Hence women’s force or pressure seemed to have no impact on the other women joining politics. A comparison of the two Taluks of Athani and Chikkodi revealed the following result. With respect to the women being a member, in Athani 54(54%) joined due to family force while 64 (64%) joined in Chikkodi due to the same reason. In Athani, 26(26%) joined due to self interest while 23(23%) did so, for the same reason in Chikkodi. Due to social force, 13(13%) joined in Athani as compared to 08(08%) in Chikkodi while women’s force drew 07(07%) in Athani and 09(09%) in Chikkodi to join politics. Hence, there was no marked difference between the women’s reason’s for joining politics in between the two taluks of Athani and Chikkodi at the Gram Panchayat level. The same trend was seen with respect to the women being a Taluk Panchayat member. However, with respect to the women being a Zilla Panchayat member, slightly a different trend was seen. Both in Athani 03(100%) and in Chikkodi 03 (75%) reasoned ‘self interest’ as the reason for joining politics, followed by only a lone member 01(25%) from Chikkodi, who reasoned ‘family force’ as the reason to have joined politics. Further, a statistical test of chisquare test of independence of attributes is applied the chisquare value revealed that the calculated value of X23=1.9399 at 5% level. Hence from the above discussion, the following conclusion could be made: Family force was seen as the main reason for the women to join politics. However, there was no marked (significant) difference between the two taluks of Athani and Chikkodi.

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TABLE-02: LACK OF POLITICAL EXPERIENCE BY THE WOMEN MEMBERS Sl. No.

Lack Political Experience

1

Yes

2

No Total

G.P. Member

Z.P. Member

T.P. Member

Total

Athani

Chikkodi

Athani

Chikkodi

Athani

Chikkodi

94

83

11

08

02

03

201

(94%)

(83%)

(91.67)

(61.54)

(66.67)

(75%)

(86.64%)

06

17

01

05

01

01

31

(06%)

(17%)

(08.33)

(38.46)

(33.33)

(25%)

(13.36%)

100 (100%)

100 (100%)

12 (100%)

13 (100%)

03 (100%)

04 (100%)

232 (100%)


Further, it was seen that as high as 201(86.64%) of the respondent felt that they lacked political experience, as compared to 31(13.36 %) who felt that they did not feel so. Therefore, it was seen that more number of respondents felt that they lacked political experience. There was significant difference between the feelings of the respondents between the two taluks of Athani and Chikkodi the statistical test of chisquare, (X12) calculated value of 5.9445 was significant at 5% level. Gram Panchayat members of Athani taluk expressed lack of political experience to a greater extent that the respondents from Chikkodi.

TABLE-03: HOLDING OF PANCHAYAT MEETINGS (FREQUENCY) Sl. No. 1

2

3

4

How many days

G.P. Member

T. P. Member

Z.P. Member

Athani

Chikkodi

Athani

Chikkodi

Athani

Chikkodi

30 days once

49

24

00

06

00

00

(49%)

(24%)

45 days once

37

58

03

05

(37%)

(58%)

(25.00)

(38.46)

60 days once

03

04

07

01

03

04

22

(03%)

(04%)

(58.33)

(7.69)

(100%)

(100%)

(09.48%)

Indefinite

11

14

02

01

00

00

28

(11%)

(14%)

(16.67)

(7.69)

(46.16)

6

Total

79 (34.05%)

00

00

103 (44.40%)

(12.07%)

Total

100

100

12

13

03

04

232

(100%)

(100%)

(100%)

(100%)

(100%)

(100%)

(100%)


This table reveals the details of information regarding the frequency of conducting Panchayat meetings as obtained from the study. As many as 49 (49%) of Athani taluk Gram Panchayat women respondents revealed that meeting is conducted once in 30 days. 37 (37%) of the member revealed that it is conducted once in 45 days and 11 (11%) of the members responded that it is not possible to tell exactly. 03(3%) said once in 60 days. Among Chikkodi taluk Gram Panchayat members, 58 (58%) of the elected women respondents revealed that it is conducted once in 45 days. 24 (24%) of the members said meeting is conducted once in 30 days. 14 (14%) of the members said it is not definite and 04 (04%) of the members said once in 60 days. In Athani taluk Panchayat, the elected women members have given the following responses. 07 (59.33%) have said that meeting is conducted once in 60 days. 03 (25%) have said once in 45 days and 16.67% (02) have replied that it is indefinite. Chikkodi taluk Panchayat elected women members have given the following responses. 06 (46.16%) of the members have said once in 30 days. 05 (38.46%) opined that meeting is conducted once in 45 days. 01 (7.69%) of the members said once in 60 days, and 01 (7.69%) said it is not definite. In Athani taluk Zilla Panchayat, the elected women member 03 (100%) have responded that it is conducted once in 60 days. Similarly in Chikkodi taluk Zilla Panchayat, women members 04 (100%) of the members responded that meeting in conducted once in 60 days. Athani and Chikkodi elected Panchayat members 103 (44.40%) of the members have responded that meeting is conducted once in 45 days and 09./48%(22) which is least have responded once in 60 days. The present study reveals that in Athani taluk, the Gram Panchayat members have responded that meeting is conducted once in 30 days. Further Chikkodi taluk Gram Panchayat

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members say it is conducted once in 45 days. Athani taluk Panchayat members meeting is once in 60 days and Chikkodi taluk Panchayat members meet is once in 30 days. Both Athani and Chikkodi Zilla Panchayat meetings are conducted once in a month. Conduct of Gram Panchayat, taluk Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat meetings is very important because these meeting are regarding the provision of government facilities for the people, and for creating awareness among the people about proper utilization of government projects. According to Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act 1993, Article 3(a) the Gram Panchayat meeting is conducting only once in a month and Gram Sabha meeting should be conducted once in six months. Whereas, more than 30 percent of the total voters list should participate. According to Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act 1993 Article 3(1), every Taluk Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat meeting should be conduct once in every month. Regarding the provision of government facilities for the people and utilization of available funds for particular activities of Panchayats. Thus the Panchayat meetings play an important role in the development of rural area. But the women respondents seemed to be having poor awareness regarding the constitutional provision on this issue.

TABLE-04: DISCUSS WITH MALE MEMBERS OPENLY ON ANY SUBJECT Sl. No.

Discuss open

G. P.Member

T.P.Member

Z.P.Member

Athani

Chikkodi

Athani

Chikkodi

Athani

Chikkodi

60

56

10

08

03

04

141

(60%)

(56%)

(83.33)

(61.54)

(100%)

(100%)

(60.77%)

01

18

00

01

00

00

20

(01%)

(18%)

Some time

39

26

02

04

(39%)

(26%)

(16.67)

(30.77)

Total

100

100

12

13

03

04

232

(100%)

(100%)

(100%)

(100%)

(100%)

(100%)

(100%)

Hearty 1

2

3

Yes

No

(7.69)


8

Total

(08.62%) 00

00

71 (30.61%)

It is quite surprising to see that as high as 141(60.77%) expressed that they open heartedly discussed any subject with male member as compared to 71(30.61%) who discussed sometimes, while only 20(08.62%) never discussed. This tells us that, in present days, women came forward and had no apprehensions to communicate with their male counterparts. A comparative study with respect to the two taluks of Athani and Chikkodi reveals the following: As high as 60(60%) in Athani and 57(56%) in Chikkodi discussed open heartedly with male members, while 39(39%) in Athani and 26(26%) in Chikkodi did so sometimes. However, in Athani, there was only a lone member 01(01%) who never discussed with men as compared to 18 (18%) from Chikkodi. A similar trend was seen in the case of the women being a Taluk Panchayat member. With respect to the respondent being a Zilla Panchayat member all the respondents, i.e. 03(100%) in Athani and 4(100%) in Chikkodi, spoke freely with men. Hence, no marked difference was seen between the two taluks of Athani and Chikkodi, with respect to the respondents discussion with men, open-heartedly. From the above observations the following may be concluded. More women had no apprehensions in communicating with men on any issue and there was no significant difference seen in the case of the two taluks of Athani and Chikkodi. This is further strengthened due to the results of the Chi-square test which reveals a X12 calculated value of 0.3284, which is significant at 5% level.

CONCLUSION An excellent aspect of panchayat raj institution is that it has made provision for reservation for women in panchayat. On account of this women have entered the politics at grass root level. Women representatives have stated that reservation of seats in Panchayat Raj Institution may help women to improve financially, socially and to promote their participation in politics, hence, this provision has to be continued in future also.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY Almond, G.A. and Powell, G. B., Comparative Politics: A Development Approach” Amerind Publishing Co, (P) Ltd, New Delhi, 1966, p-103. Ibid. p-314. B.K. Chandrashekhar. “Panchayati Raj Law in Karnataka: Janata Initiative in Decentralization”, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol-XIX, No. 16, April 21, 1984, p-158. Chaudhuri Maitrayee. “Indian Women’s Movement : Reform and Revival”, New Delhi, Radiant, 1993, p-28. Committee on the Status of Women in India, Towards Equality, New Delhi, Dept. of Social Welfare, Govt. of India, 1974. Committee on the Status of Women in India, Towards Equality, New Delhi, Dept. of Social Walfare, Govt. of India 1974. Dahlerup Drude., “A Theory of Critical Mass Applied to the Case of Women in Scandinavian Countries”, A Paper Presented at the XI World Congress of Sociology, New Delhi, August, 1986, p-126. Degler, Carl N. “Revolution Without Ideology : The Changing Place of Women in America Boston”, Houghton Mifflin, 1965, p-204. Desai, V. Panchayat Raj in India, Himalaya Publishing House, Ramdoot, Dr. Dhalerao Marg Girgaon, Bombay, 1990, p-3. Ibid., p-4. Dietrich Gabriele. “Personal is Political : Women and the Process of Political Participation”, Teaching, 1984, p-67. Dietrich Gabriele. “Personal is Political - Women and the Process of Political Participation”, Teaching Politics Vol-X, 1984, p-76. Dutta Nikunjalata. “Village Panchayats in India”, Mittal Publication SA-1/8, Mohangorden New Delhi, 1989, p-82. Guha Phulrenu. (Ed). “Socio-Political Status of Women In sue Allen M Charlton” Women in Third World Development, London, West View Publication, 1984, p-39. Gupta Sumit and Gupta Mukta. “Role of Women in the Twenty first Century”, Anmol Publications Pvt., Ltd, 4374/48 Ansari Road, Paryaganj, New Delhi, 110002, 1996, p-105. Jain S. P. “Role of Women in Rural Development”, Hyderabad, National Institute of Rural Development, 1979, p-42. Jay Kleinberg,S. (Ed) “Retrieving Women’s History, Changing Perceptions of the Role of Women in Politics and Society”, Oxford Berg Publishers, 1988, pJoshi Uma. “Women’s Role Imperative for Strong”, “Kurukshetra”, Veteran Journalist, New Delhi, June, 1994, p-63. 10

Khan Ziauddin. “Community Development, Panchayat Raj and Local Self Government”, Asia Publishing House, Bombay, 1969, p-58. Maddick Henry. “Panchayat Raj A Study of Rural Local Government in India”, Longman Publishing House, London, 1962, p-204. Maheshwari, S.R. “New Perspectives on Rural Local Government”, Lakshmi Nagain Agarwal Publishers, Hospital Road, Agra, 1979, p-112. Mazumdar. V and Sharma. K., “New Perceptions in Women’s Studies”, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol-XIV, No.3, Jan 20, 1979, p-119. Milbraith Lester. W and Goel, M.L., “Political Participation : How and Why do People Involved in Politics”, (2nd ed) Rand M C Nally Chicago, 1977, p-53. Muni, S. D. “Women in the Electoral Process” in Symbols of Power”, Ed by V. Mazumdar, Bombay Allied Publishers Pvt. Ltd, 1979 p-42. Padya, K. S. and Choudhury. S., “Political Socialization of High School Students of an Orissa Town an Empirical Study in Sociology : A perspective Analysis”, K. S. Padya., (Ed) Discovery New Delhi, 1980, p-33.

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