Women Empowerment:Work done in Bihar related to Women empowerment: Bihar Panchayati Raj Ordinance, 2006: Bihar was the first state to implement 50% reservation for women at all the three levels of the Panchayati Raj System. As per the Ministry of Panchayati raj (MoPR) total national elected representative are 36.75% of the total elected representative in PRIs. However, in Bihar the total representative is around 50%.

35 per cent seats in police recruitment in the state, from the rank of constables to Deputy Superintendent of Police

Women would have half the share in the state-run Cooperative Milk Federation and more than 22 cooperative societies.

Below tables shows the % of elected women representatives:

Women representation in State Assemblies is highest with India with 15% on contrary to the national average of 8%.

Below table, shows the stat for women representatives in state Panchayat. Women representation in Bihar is well above the national average of 46.7%.

Benefits from Women participation in Panchayat and other local bodies:

Greater say in decision making and planning for the benefits of village. It has certainly given women more confidence of doing anything.

Rekha Singh is the head of Langurav Belandpur village. One of the first things she did after winning the election last year was to assemble a team of women to run a gas plant for the government cold storage.

Anjum Ara, Deputy Sarpanch, Salimabad Village: "Earlier the women would not raise their voices. Now they inundate me with their problems.

Many Bihar government schemes are handled by Panchayat bodies. A major participation by women in local bodies may help certainly help women more. The major schemes in which Panchayat play a major role are :

Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojna Indira Aawas Yojna Basic Minimum Services Mukhya Mantri Nari Shakti Yojana

It has been designed to provide access to financial and technical resources through Block Level Cooperative Societies to SHGs. It is based on members' demand based on participatory micro planning. The amount that is provided at the rate of Rs. 20,000/- per SHG is not sufficient for removing poverty of all families covered under this scheme, but it is used as a means to create credit good will to enable the SHGs to avail loan from the mainstream credit organizations like banks and other institutions. The purpose is to improve the livelihood of the poor and to make their organizations sustainable.Achievement Up till now a total loan of Rs. 10, 12, 16,500 has been distributed to 6,050 Self Help Groups. 34260 Self Help Groups have been formed and nurtured in 27 Districts under which 4.30 lakh women of poor family are being benefitted. Total 165 Blocks, 1520 Panchayats and 5905 villages have been covered under this Program. For the purpose of mobilize the Primitive community Tharu in the mainstream of development process, 300 SHGs are in process of formation and nurture in East Cmaparan district. 2597 farmers on System of Rice intensification [SRI] & 72 farmers were benefitted through True potato seed technique for which services were provided by the federation, out of which the Federations have earned revenue of Rs. 14729. Under dairy intervention, benefit of artificial insemination process has been extended to 534 beneficiaries and 354 SHG members have been registered under Community based retail enterprises [CBRE].

Problem faced in Panchayati Raj