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-The Economic Times
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<em>PATNA: </em>Reserving 33% seats for women in Parliament and state legislatures may remain a dream for Congress president Sonia Gandhi but chief minister Nitish Kumar has not only done that in panchayat bodies of Bihar but is set to take the concept to other areas.
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Women's support for JD(U) had swelled in elections following the reservations, as the fair sex exhibited approval for the progressive legislation. Encouraged by 'lady luck' Kumar's NDA government now plans to reserve 50% seats in cooperative societies for women.
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&quot;Everyone talked of empowering women, but it was Nitishji who did something meaningful for them in 2005, when his government pushed through a legislation envisaging 50% reservation for women in panchayati bodies,&quot; industries minister Renu Kushwaha told ET. &quot;In 2007, reservation for women was extended to local bodies in urban areas. The two legislations have helped women empowerment.&quot;
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Women turned up in large numbers and formed long queues during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls and 2010 Bihar elections, which Kumar's party won, indicating that women endorsed the idea.
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The women's queue promises to grow longer as the chief minister has announced 35% reservation for them in recruitment of police constables too.
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50% reservation for women in cooperative societies would mean that women would control around half the primary agriculture credit societies. &quot;I am sure other states will emulate the Bihar model of providing reservation to women in cooperative societies too,&quot; said the CM on the measure.
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After Bihar, other states too reserved seats in panchayat and civic bodies for women. It was certainly a big step towards women empowerment. In one stroke 50% of over 8,000 panchayats in Bihar was reserved for women. Apart from the reservation in 3-tier panchayti bodies, the Kumar government also distributed direct cash subsidy to girl students for procuring cycles and uniforms, and even allowed 50% reservation in recruitment of primary school teachers. 
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