National Conference Celebrates Women Leaders Under Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan

 The Ministry of Panchayati Raj will organise a one-day National Conference of Women Elected Representatives (WERs) of Panchayats on 11 March 2026 in New Delhi under the Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan. The conference will bring together around 700 participants including women representatives from Panchayats across India, officials from government ministries and representatives from United Nations agencies. The event marks one year since the launch of the initiative aimed at strengthening women’s leadership in grassroots governance.

Platform for Women-Led Rural Governance

The conference will be attended by several senior Union ministers, including the Minister of Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh), Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi, Minister of State for Panchayati Raj S. P. Singh Baghel and Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse. Senior officials from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj will also participate. The gathering aims to celebrate achievements in women-led governance while providing a national platform to discuss strategies for strengthening leadership and participation of women at the grassroots level.

Recognition and Knowledge Sharing

During the conference, outstanding Beacon Women Panchayat Leaders identified by various state and union territory governments will be honoured. The ministry will also release a compendium highlighting best practices of Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats along with stories of transformation driven by women leaders in rural governance. Additionally, initiatives related to women’s safety under the Nirbhaya framework will be launched during the event.

Technical Sessions on Leadership and Governance

The conference will include two technical sessions focused on strengthening women’s participation in rural governance. One session will discuss women’s leadership and decision-making roles in Panchayats, while the second will focus on developing Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats. These discussions aim to identify practical approaches to enhance inclusivity, improve service delivery and promote gender-responsive governance at the village level.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan was launched on 4 March 2025 by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
• The initiative focuses on strengthening leadership and governance capacity of Women Elected Representatives in Panchayats.
• The Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) supports capacity building of Panchayati Raj Institutions.
• Gram Panchayats are the lowest tier of the Panchayati Raj system in rural local governance.

Capacity Building and Model Panchayats

Under the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has trained more than 7.18 lakh Women Elected Representatives during 2025–26. In addition, over 1.21 lakh women leaders, including master trainers, have been trained under a specialised module titled “Championing Change: Empowering Women Leaders in Local Governance and Beyond.” The ministry has also identified 744 Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats across 32 states and union territories. These model panchayats are monitored through dedicated dashboards tracking indicators such as participation in governance, education, health and nutrition, economic opportunities, and safety and security.