Over 58% of properties in rural Pune owned by women

PUNE: As per data released by the Pune zilla parishad (ZP), over 58% of the properties registered in rural areas of the district are owned by women, either under joint ownership or as solo owners

PUNE: As per data released by the Pune zilla parishad (ZP), over 58% of the properties registered in rural areas of the district are owned by women, either under joint ownership or as solo owners. As per the national average, 43% women own homes and lands, with the rural administration crediting this to various drives conducted in the villages.

As per data released by the Pune zilla parishad (ZP), over 58% of the properties registered in rural areas of the district are owned by women, either under joint ownership or as solo owners. (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

Sachin Ghadge, deputy CEO in charge of the panchayat sabhas, said, “We organised multiple drives starting from November wherein we encouraged families and the men in the house to give their no-objection certificates (NOCs) to add their wives’ names to the property as owners. This is as per the government resolution (GR) of 2013 wherein the women of the family are also legally made property owners or house owners after the husband or the male property owner. We also have various competitions under which families are given marks in case the woman is the joint owner of the property. Also, we create awareness among women through our mahila gram sabhas.”

Out of 1,385 villages in rural Pune, a total of 1,091,030 properties are registered out of which 642,086 are registered under women owners as their names have been added as owners through the state government GR. While most properties are registered under women’s names to get financial benefits such as reduced interest rates on home loans or benefits under tax, as more women become property owners, they get control over decisions involved with property and it also helps boost their self-esteem.

According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2019-20 data released under phase two for 14 states and union territories, over 43.3% women own a house and/or land (alone or jointly with others). Out of which, 38.3% properties are owned by women in urban areas and 45.7% properties are owned by women in rural areas. As per NFHS 2015-16 data, 38.4% women owned properties.