Delegates attending the ongoing BRICS conference on ‘Participatory Local Budgeting’ on 5th Nov. expressed their admiration for the running of a Gram Panchayat in Alappuzha district, which has over 50 per cent representation by women.
The Mararikulam South Gram Panchayat, with its comprehensive projects for women and children, stands to be emulated countrywide as a shining example of women-friendly villages, they felt.
As many as 21 delegates visited the panchayat to study its various pilot projects including ‘Manasa’ and ‘Balakairali’, which focuses on improving educational standards of children and ‘Sthree Souhrida Grama’ aimed at the safety of women.
Mararikulam was the first panchayat to start the ‘Sthree Souhrida Gramam’ (Women-friendly village), under the gender budgeting concept and is perhaps the first such in the state.
Source: The Indian Express