The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, in collaboration with the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Government of Maharashtra, will organise a two-day National Workshop on Best Practices of Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats (MWFGPs) at Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration (YASHADA), Pune, on 8–9 January 2026.
The workshop aims to showcase exemplary grassroots practices and strengthen the capacity of Gram Panchayats to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment at the village level.
Inaugural Session and Key Dignitaries
The workshop will be inaugurated by Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
The inaugural session will be attended by senior officials including:
-
Eknath Rajaram Dawale, Principal Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Government of Maharashtra
-
Niranjan Kumar Sudhansu, Director General, YASHADA
-
Vipul Ujwal, Director, MoPR
-
Deepa Prasad, UNFPA India
Wide Participation from States and UTs
Around 240 participants from 13 States and Union Territories—including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana—will take part in the workshop.
Participants include:
-
Elected representatives and Secretaries of best-performing MWFGPs
-
Block Development Officers
-
Directors of State Institutes of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (SIRD&PR)
-
State Nodal Officers
This diverse participation is expected to enrich peer learning and inter-state exchange.
Focus Areas and Capacity Building
The workshop will deliberate on five key thematic areas:
-
Participation in Governance
-
Health & Nutrition
-
Education and Skill Development
-
Access to Economic Opportunities
-
Safety & Security
Best-performing Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats will present their innovative strategies and field-level interventions through presentations and panel discussions. Participants will also receive training on dashboard indicators and portal features for tracking progress and outcomes.
Experiential Learning and Knowledge Exchange
A key objective of the workshop is to develop MWFGPs as Experiential Learning Centres, enabling them to serve as role models for other Gram Panchayats. The platform will facilitate structured exchange of best practices and scalable solutions across participating States and UTs.
Background: Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats Initiative
The Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats Initiative was launched by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj on 5 March 2025 with the objective of establishing at least one women- and girl-friendly Gram Panchayat in every district.
Under Theme 9 of the Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs):
-
744 Gram Panchayats across 32 States and UTs have been identified as MWFGPs
-
Selection was based on Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) Version 1.0, theme-wise scores, inter-departmental consultations, and inputs from women-centric organisations
The Ministry has also developed a dedicated MWFGP Dashboard with 35 indicators across six sub-themes to monitor progress. Master Trainers have been engaged nationwide to provide mentoring and capacity-building support to MWFGPs.
Conclusion
The National Workshop at YASHADA, Pune, marks a significant step in advancing women-centric grassroots governance in India. By enabling structured learning, peer exchange, and capacity enhancement, the initiative reinforces the Ministry of Panchayati Raj’s commitment to building inclusive, equitable, and empowered Gram Panchayats, aligned with India’s broader sustainable development and gender equality goals.
For more real-time updates, visit Channel 6 Network.
Source: PIB
