Naveen Patnaik

Bhubaneswar, May 31: The Orissa government today notified reservation of 50 per cent of seats for women in the three-tier panchayati raj system to give equal representation to the fairer sex.

On March 5, 2010, a day that is observed as the Panchayati Raj Day, chief minister Naveen Patnaik announced that 50 per cent seats at the grassroots-level democratic bodies will be reserved for women.

Earlier, it was 33 per cent. Orissa is the ninth state to provide half the seats in these bodies to women.

The next panchatyati raj elections are scheduled to be held in 2012.

Directorof the panchayati raj department R.K. Das said: “The state government has issued notification to this effect today. Necessary direction has been issued to all the district collectors.”

Orissa is going to witness the panchayat polls in 2012. Now, it has nearly 1.6 lakh representatives in the three-tier panchayat system. With this notification, Orissa will have nearly 53,000 women representatives.

The Orissa government suitably amended the Orissa Gram Panchayat Act, 1964, by introducing the Orissa Panchyat Laws Amendment Bill which had received approval of the Assembly.

Cutting across party lines, all party members had supported the bill to ensure that women got a fair deal.

Senior BJD leader and minister Raghunath Mohanty said: “This is a historic step. All should welcome the move. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s aim is to empower women in all spheres.”

Orissa Panchayat Parishad president Shankarshan Parida said: “Eight states have already implemented it. Orissa is the ninth state to implement the rule. The Orissa government has acted as per the central suggestion. The Orissa government should give more stress on devolution of power to the panchayats, otherwise the aim and objective of the panchayati raj system will not be fulfilled.”