Question

73rd and 74th amendments in the Indian constitution are known for -

• A. Farmer's welfare
• B. Political reservation of women
• C. Women Domestic Workers
• D. Women's employment in Public sector

Hint:

Panchayati Raj (73rd Amendment) and Municipalities (74th Amendment) both mandate a minimum of 33.3% political reservation for women, promoting grass-roots leadership.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Democratic decentralization and local self-governance in India were institutionalized through landmark constitutional reforms in the early 1990s.
The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts, passed by the Indian Parliament in 1992, gave constitutional status to rural local bodies (Panchayati Raj Institutions or PRIs) and urban local bodies (Municipalities).
These amendments aimed to empower local communities and promote social justice and political representation for marginalized groups, particularly women.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments are famous for introducing Political Reservation for Women in India (Option 2).
To ensure women's active participation in local decision-making and governance, these amendments mandated the reservation of not less than one-third (33.3%) of the total number of seats for women in all local self-government bodies.
This reservation applies to both the general membership seats and the offices of chairpersons (such as Sarpanch at the village level and Mayor at the municipal level).
Following these reforms, millions of women have entered active politics at the grass-roots level, leading to significant social changes and raising the political status of women across rural and urban India.
To review the other options:
These amendments do not directly address farmer's welfare schemes or agricultural subsidies, which are managed through separate state and central policies.
They also do not regulate the working conditions of women domestic workers or mandate employment quotas for women in the public sector or government departments (which are governed by separate labor laws and Article 16 of the Constitution).
The primary, internationally recognized social contribution of the 73rd and 74th amendments is the political empowerment of women through local seat reservation.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Therefore, the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Indian Constitution are celebrated for establishing political reservation for women in local self-governing bodies.