Patna: Saimun Khatun, a ward member from Runnisaidpur panchayat in Sitamarhi, used the Lok Jan Shikayat System to draw attention towards irregularities in the appointment of anganwadi worker.

Bijli Pandey, another ward member from Gorigama panchayat in Muzaffarpur, used the 104 toll free number to complain abosut the irregularities in the health sub-centre in her area.

Saimun and Bijli were among the few women representatives of various panchayats who were vocal about issues in their areas at an event organised by the Centre for Catalyzing Change, on Tuesday to mark the National Panchayati Raj Day, Patna.

The programme, organised at a city hotel, saw enthusiastic participation of 20 women panchayat representatives and five elected men representatives apart from members of the civil society, administrative officials and ruling party ministers.

Chanda Devi, a ward member of Mahnar panchayat in Vaishali, spoke about unavailability of ultrasound machine at the primary health centre in her area. Anita Devi, another ward member from Atari panchayat in Sitamarhi brought forth the issue of non availability of doctors in the additional primary health centre (APHC) in her panchayat. She also complained about the lack of X-ray facility and other laboratory examination facility at the APHC during the programme.

Panchayati Raj minister Kapildev Kamat, who was the chief guest at the event, appreciated the women panchayat representatives for bringing forth the real issues of their areas at the event.

"Bihar is the first state to give 50 per cent reservation to women in panchayats, a much-needed effort to develop Bihar by moving it away from its low rank in the gender equality index. Real change can happen in the state if the elected women representatives are empowered," he said.

Kamat encouraged women to continue their path of change and assured them all support at each level of the panchayati raj system.

Executive director of the Centre for Catalyzing Change, Aparajita Gogoi, said her organisation wanted to focus on women panchayat members as agents of change, impacting better service delivery from health facilities, and improve education in schools. "Women representatives need to be equipped with information and tools so that they can monitor development programmes," she said.

MLA from Danapur, Asha Sinha, shared her journey of being elected three times. "Women are not inferior to men and they should participate in each and every decision," she said.

Panchayati raj director Kuldeep Narayan was also among the dignitaries.