Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women reconstituted

What: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla constituted the Committee on Empowerment of Women for 2026–27 (effect from 21 April 2026). Chairperson: Dr. Daggubati Purandeswari.

Composition: 30 members (20 Lok Sabha nominated by Speaker, 10 Rajya Sabha nominated by Chairman). Notable members: Hema Malini, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Iqra Choudhary (LS); Sudha Murty, PT Usha, Swati Maliwal (RS).

Role: Reviews NCW reports, advises government on women’s welfare, equality, education, monitors women‑related schemes and legislative references.

Significance:

• Legislative oversight: Mechanism for cross‑party scrutiny of women’s issues and policy recommendations.

UPSC relevance: Parliamentary committees, gender policy, governance mechanisms.

Practice Q: Explain the functions and significance of the Committee on Empowerment of Women in India’s parliamentary system.