The Madhya Pradesh government inked an agreement with the united nations (UN) for the empowerment of women.

Under the agreement, the state will be getting support from the world body for empowerment of elected women representatives, official sources said here.

Two districts - Sehore and Jhabua - have been selected by UN Women - United Nation Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women.

The agreement was signed at Mantralay (secretariat) by Commissioner, Panchayats, Vishwa Mohan Upadhyay and UN Women Regional Project Director Sushma Kapur in the presence of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

The women empowerment programme is being implemented in five other states - Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Orissa and Rajasthan.

Under the pact, the state will receive a grant of about Rs 1.50 crore up to December 31, 2012. The fund will be used for capacity building of elected women representatives in panchayats and their socio-economic empowerment, the sources said.

They would be informed about their rights and entitlements, and will be made well-versed in the execution of concept of social and economic equality, they said.

Madhya Pradesh was the first state in the country to provide 50 per cent reservation to women in panchayats and civic bodies.