Hon’ble President Smt. Draupadi Murmu gave away National Panchayat Awards to 45 Panchayats and Institutions
Govt committed to ‘Antyodaya’ during AMRUT period: Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh
Release of a booklet titled “Best Practices of Awarded Panchayats and Institutions” ranging from child friendly to water adequate; Panchayat showing the way.
The Hon'ble President attended the National Panchayat Awards Ceremony-2024
The Hon’ble President attended the National Panchayat Awards Ceremony-2024 organized by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi today. At the function, the Hon’ble President presented the National Panchayat Awards to 45 awardees (42 Panchayats and 3 Skill Development Institutions) selected in various categories for their outstanding contribution to sustainable and inclusive development. Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (FAH&D), Minister of State Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj and FAH&D Ministry, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Vivek Bhardwaj and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. Senior officials of the country and more than 1200 panchayat representatives.
Smt. Draupadi Murmu said that about 64 per cent of the people of our country live in villages. Therefore, development and empowerment of villages and villagers is essential to
Speaking on the occasion, Hon’ble President Smt. Draupadi Murmu said that about 64 per cent of the people of our country live in villages. Therefore, development and empowerment of villages and villagers is essential to make India a developed country. In the last decade, the government has made serious efforts for the empowerment of panchayats, which are aimed at achieving concrete results. The Hon’ble President said that the foundation stone of a developed India can be laid only on the basis of self-reliant and efficient local bodies. Panchayats should try to become self-reliant by developing their own sources of revenue. This self-reliance will give the gram sabhas confidence and strength to the country. The President said that panchayati raj institutions are politically empowering women.
Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Union Minister for Panchayati Raj said that as per the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
Speaking on the historic occasion, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Union Minister for Panchayati Raj said that as per the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government is working to empower panchayats as pillars of rural development in which powerful Panchayats are acting as the foundation of being “Self-reliant”. The prize money of Rs 46 crore was digitally transferred to the winning panchayats during the ceremony. Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh said that these model panchayats are acting as a benchmark of excellence for the entire country. Highlighting the integration of SDG based content in panchayat schemes, he said that these efforts are making villages centres of sustainable development.
The Union Minister also lauded initiatives such as the Swamitva Scheme
The Union Minister also lauded initiatives such as the Swamitva Scheme, which provides property rights to rural residents, and technological innovations like the ‘Meri Panchayat’ app and weather forecasting equipment, which enhances service delivery and governance. The minister informed that the funds allocated to panchayats through the Central Finance Commission for the development of basic infrastructure in rural areas have increased six-fold in the last 10 years. Between 2005-06 and 2013-14, only Rs 60,972 crore was released to the panchayats, which increased six-fold to Rs 3,94,140 crore between 2014-15 and 2023-24. During the 13th Finance Commission, the per capita annual allocation was Rs 176, which has increased to Rs 674 under the 15th Finance Commission. He highlighted that most of the panchayats that won the award today are run by women (about 42% of the panchayats have women’s leadership), and they have set an example through their extraordinary work.
The Union Minister unveiled a booklet titled “Best Practices of Awardee Panchayats and Institutions” during the ceremony (hyper-link), documenting innovative initiatives undertaken by the award-winning Panchayats across the nation. The first copy of the booklet was presented to the Hon’ble President of India.
Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel lauded the government for transforming the Panchayati Raj system into a robust system for inclusive and participatory governance.
Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel lauded the government for transforming the Panchayati Raj system into a robust system for inclusive and participatory governance. He highlighted the Prime Minister’s dream of a developed India by 2047 and its important role in achieving the Global SDG goals by 2030. The Union Minister appreciated the progress of financial transparency achieved through the e-Gram Swaraj-PFMS portal (today about 93% of the panchayats in the country are making all their payments online), through which more than Rs 2.25 lakh crore has been disbursed and acknowledged the leadership of women, who are now 46% of the elected representatives, most of whom are taking transformative steps. He emphasized that digital empowerment and delivery of innovative services are inclusive and shared are setting a new example of rural development. He lauded the digital innovations of the Ministry, especially referring to the Meri Panchayat Mobile App and Panchayat Nirnay. read more
