The Chhattisgarh government has achieved a commendable feat in the field of women empowerment by putting a dozen young women IAS officers in command of district administration all across the state. There were already 10 women collectors in the state, but with the latest addition of two more, the number rises to a record 12.
By doing so, the state has reached a point it has never seen before—12 women simultaneously heading districts across the state since its inception in 2000. What it means for the state is that it has more than one-third of its total 33 districts under women administrators for the first time.
The current list includes Nupur Rashi Panna in Kondagaon, Pratishtha Mamgai in Bemetara, Namrata Jain in Narayanpur, Raina Jameel in Surajpur, Divya Mishra in Balod, Jayashree Jain in Sakti, Tulika Prajapati in Kabirdham, Padmini Bhoi in Sarangarh-Bilaigarh, Tanuja Salam in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Chandan Tripathi in Balrampur-Ramanujganj, Santan Devi Jangde in Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur, and Roktima Yadav in Koriya.
What is equally significant is the choice of districts. Women officers have not been given what is considered comfortable urban postings. Their assignments extend from tribal and geographically difficult Narayanpur and Kondagaon to Surajpur, Balrampur, Mohla-Manpur, and Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur. That makes the pattern harder to dismiss as symbolic representation alone.
This restructuring occupies significance as it comes during the state’s ‘Mahtari Gaurav Varsh’ (Year of Women’s Pride).
But its real significance lies elsewhere. With Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai in the middle of his tenure, there is no election pressure on him, which gives his govt greater freedom to rework field postings, test officers in demanding districts, and tighten the administrative machinery for the second half of its term.
The real purpose behind putting women officers in command of districts is the thinking that collectors remain the most visible face of the govt in districts, handling revenue administration, welfare delivery, and development works besides playing a central role in law and order.
CM Sai says entrusting women with leadership responsibilities in 12 districts of the state is a strong step towards women’s empowerment because when young girls see them serving in the highest administrative positions, it inspires them to dream bigger and move forward with confidence.
An analysis of the latest state IAS civil list provides an insight that women account for only about a quarter of Chhattisgarh’s 184 IAS officers but are occupying more significant posts. It clearly indicates that the Sai govt has placed them at the frontline of district administration.
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