New Delhi, Aug 27 - In one of its biggest steps yet to empower women in public life, the Indian government has decided to reserve 50 percent of seats in 252,000 panchayats, or village councils, across the country, it was announced here Thursday.

The decision, to be effected through a constitutional amendment, will mean that women will occupy 1.4 million of the close to three million panchayat seats. The National Commission for Women and prominent women MPs immediately welcomed the measure.

'The cabinet today (Thursday) approved the proposal for moving a bill to amend article 243 D of the constitution for enhancing reservation for women in panchayats at all tiers from one third to at least 50 percent,' Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said.

'This provision will apply to the total number of seats filled by direct election, offices of chairpersons and seats and offices of chairpersons reserved for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes,' she added while briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting.

The decision comes even as a bill for reserving 33 percent of seats in parliament and the state assemblies was first introduced in the Lok Sabha in 1996 but has been lapsing with the dissolution of the house as the government could not evolve consensus on the issue.

The government reintroduced the bill in the Rajya Sabha last May to ensure that it did not lapse.

The constitutional amendment, which is likely to be moved during the winter session of parliament beginning mid-November, will not apply to local bodies in urban areas.

'Urban and local bodies may be covered later,' Soni said.

Hailing the increased reservations, National Commission for Women chairperson Girija Vyas said: 'We are delighted.'

'We welcome this step, This will definitely help in empowering women and help creating sensitivity to women related development issues,' newly-elected Congress MP Meenakshi Natarajan told IANS. Natrajan was among those Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi had personally selected in his bid to induct new and young faces into parliament.

'Its a good step but it should have been done much earlier. The central government should introduce 33 percent reservation in parliament and the assemblies.