Chhattisgarh has received 12 National Panchayat Awards from Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India in a virtual function held on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day, on Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the Chief guest in the virtual programme organised by Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India. Union Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Narendra Tomar was also present in the programme. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Panchayat and Rural Development Minister T S Singhdeo and Revenue Minister Jaisingh Agrawal attended the virtual programme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi clicked the button to transfer the award money (as Grants-in-Aid) ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 50 lakh and the amount was directly transferred to the bank account of the Panchayats concerned in real time. PM also addressed the programme. Baghel and Singhdeo have congratulated the Panchayati Raj Institutions for this achievement.

 

Chhattisgarh has received e-Panchayat Puraskar for better implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Gram Panchayats of State. In first category, Chhattisgarh and Assam have jointly secured second position. Jila Panchayat Kondgaon, Gariaband and Tilda Janpad Panchayats have received National Panchayat Awards while seven Gram Panchayats of State were honoured with the National Panchayat Awards in different categories. Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India has selected Jila Panchayat Kondagaon, Janpad Panchayat Gariaband and Tilda Janpad Panchayat, Sargawa Gram Panchayat of Ambikapur block in Surguja district, Riri Gram Panchayat of Lundra block, Mahud Gram Panchayat of Gundardehi block in Balod district, Mahratola Gram Panchayat of Sahaspur Lohara block in Kabirdham district and Baihar Gram Panchayat of Arang block in Raipur district for Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Sashaktikaran Puraskar. Gram Panchayat Gotaiguda of Bhopalpatnam block in Bijapur district was honoured with ‘Nanaji Deshmukh Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Puraskar’, Navagaon (L) of Abhanpur block in Raipur district was felicitated with ‘Child-friendly Gram Panchayat Award’ and Baihar Gram Panchayat of Arang block was felicitated with ‘Gram Panchayat Development Plan Award’. It may be mentioned that Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been awarding the best performing Panchayats/States/UTs across the country under the Incentivisation of Panchayats in recognition of their good work for improving delivery of services and public goods.

 

Awards are given under various categories namely, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Sashaktikaran Puraskar (DDUPSP), Nanaji Deshmukh Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Puraskar (NDRGGSP), Child-friendly Gram Panchayat Award (CFGPA), Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) Award and e-Panchayat Puraskar (given to States/UTs only). This was the second consecutive year that the Panchayati Raj Institutions of State received 12 the National Panchayat Awards. In 2020, Chhattisgarh was awarded the e-Panchayat award and 11 Panchayati Raj Institutions had also received the National Panchayat Awards in various categories. In 2019, the Panchayati Raj Institutions had received 11 National Panchayat Awards.