More than 1,000 women working as PESA Gram Sabha Mobilisers across Maharashtra’s tribal districts are expected to assemble in Mumbai to oppose a government decision that significantly reduces sanctioned frontline positions supporting village governance. The proposed workforce reduction has triggered concerns over the future implementation of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), with observers warning that fewer grassroots facilitators could affect citizen participation in local decision-making across Scheduled Areas.
The demonstration follows an administrative order restructuring staffing norms under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, reducing the ratio of mobilisers from one per PESA Gram Panchayat to one for every three Gram Panchayats. If implemented fully, the change will reduce sanctioned posts from 3,003 to 1,001 across 13 tribal districts, affecting predominantly women employed as community mobilisers for nearly a decade. The PESA Gram Sabha Mobilisers programme was introduced to strengthen village assemblies by helping tribal communities understand their constitutional rights, participate in Gram Sabha meetings and access government welfare programmes. Mobilisers also support local institutions in managing natural resources, identifying eligible beneficiaries for public schemes and facilitating communication between remote villages and administrative authorities.
Governance experts argue that these functions remain particularly important in geographically dispersed tribal settlements where literacy levels, digital access and administrative outreach continue to present challenges. They caution that increasing the geographical area covered by each mobiliser could reduce the frequency of community engagement and limit the effectiveness of participatory local governance. The workforce reduction has also raised concerns about employment in tribal regions. Most mobilisers are women who receive an honorarium for their community-based work, and the revised staffing pattern is expected to eliminate approximately 2,000 positions. Rural development specialists note that while the financial allocation involved is relatively modest within the broader public expenditure framework, the programme has played a role in supporting women’s participation in local governance and strengthening institutional capacity in underserved areas. Government officials maintain that the restructuring follows revised staffing guidelines issued under the centrally supported programme. According to the administration, the original deployment reflected the initial implementation phase of the PESA framework, when extensive awareness campaigns were required. Officials believe that as communities have become more familiar with Gram Sabha processes, fewer mobilisers are now needed to sustain implementation, although they acknowledge that the remaining workforce will manage larger operational areas.
Public policy researchers suggest that the debate reflects a broader challenge in governance reforms: balancing fiscal efficiency with sustained institutional support. While awareness initiatives often receive intensive funding during early implementation, maintaining long-term community participation frequently requires continued local engagement, particularly in remote and socially vulnerable regions. As tribal representatives prepare to present their demands before the state administration, the discussion extends beyond staffing numbers to the future effectiveness of decentralised governance. The outcome could influence how Maharashtra approaches grassroots implementation of tribal self-governance, community participation and inclusive rural development in the years ahead.
