A Different Gaze

For residents of women-led panchayats in Rajasthan, 33 per cent is not just about numbers in Parliament and state assemblies, it represents a new vision, a new idea, and a different nazariya

- Abhik Bhattacharva

MAMATA Barla has been the sarpanch of Itawa Bhopji Gram Panchayat—around 50 kilometres from Jaipur— since 2010. When she became the sarpanch, the hamlets within the ambit of her panchayat were facing an acute water crisis. She decided to deal with this issue first.

“Only women understand the importance of water as they have to wake up at 4 AM and store water for the entire household. Men won’t understand this problem because it’s the women who do the household work,” says Barla, who is now in her mid-40s. She called for a panchayat meeting and got installed two water tanks of one lakh litre each. In the next few years, boring facilities were provided in at least 20 places across the hamlets. Now, there is a four-km-long pipeline that brings water from a nearby river to the tanks.

Being led by Barla for the past 13 years, the residents of Itawa  Bhopji, which falls under the Govindgarh Panchayat Samiti, feel that women leaders have different priorities. “They focus on everyday issues like water, health of women and children and education and use the limited funds accordingly. If women get a chance to run the country, the idea of development will change,” says Rekha Kumawat, who was one of the first women panchayat samiti members from Govindgarh.

With the passing of the Women’s Reservation Bill in both Houses, the village is convinced that the nazariya (perspective) of the country will soon change as well. For them, 33 per cent is not just about numbers in Parliament and state assemblies, it represents a new vision, a new idea, and moreover, a different gaze.