ROLE OF WOMEN IN PANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONSIN MADHYA PRADESH: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Women contribute in the building and development of a nation. They play a significant role in the making of the civilized Society. The focal point of the family is also a woman. In Indian society the place of women has always been dignified along with changes in social conditions over time. They have been gone through different situations. They have faced situations in which they were sometimes considered worthy of worship and sometimes were treated animalisticallyand as slaves. The development of any society is directly related to the development of the women in the society. Development of individual, family and society cannot be imagined without the development of women. The evil practices such as patriarchy, dowry system, harassment, inequality, feticide, domestic violence against women, trafficking, prostitution etc. that violate their rights and values in the society must be eradicatedThe paper offers reflections on issues and challenges that women face and deal with, to perform their role in the Panchayati Raj Institutions(PRIs) with special reference to Bhind district in Madhya Pradesh.