Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will undertake a visit to Jammu & Kashmir to participate in the celebration of National Panchayati Raj Day at around 11:30 AM on 24 April, 2022. He will visit Palli Panchayat in Samba district. He will interact with local Panchayat representatives and address the elected representatives and functionaries of Panchayati Raj Institutions as well as Gram Sabhas across the country on this momentous occasion.On this occasion,Prime Minister will also distribute property cards to beneficiaries under the SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) Scheme steadily inching towards the objectives of socio-economic empowerment of the rural masses and making them self-reliant.

Every year, on this occasion, Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been awarding the best performing Panchayats/States/UTs across the country under the Incentivization of Panchayats Scheme in recognition of their good work for improving delivery of services and public goods. Awards are given under various categories namely, DeenDayalUpadhyay Panchayat SashaktikaranPuraskar (DDUPSP), NanajiDeshmukhRashtriya 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 year, for National Panchayat Awards–2022 (Appraisal Year 2020-21), a total of 322 number of awards to Panchayats have been declared under following categories:

1) Child-friendly Gram Panchayat Award to 29 Gram Panchayats (GPs)/ Village Councils (VCs) in 29 States/Union Territories (UTs)

2) Gram Panchayat Development Plan Award to 29 Gram Panchayats (GPs)/ Village Councils (VCs) in 29 States/UTs

3) NanajiDeshmukhRashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Puraskar to 27 Gram Panchayats (GPs)/ Village Councils (VCs) in 27 States/UTs

4) DeenDayalUpadhyay Panchayat SashaktikaranPuraskar to 237 Panchayats [(District Panchayats: 28); (Block Panchayats: 53); (Gram Panchayats /Village Councils: 156)] across 29 States/UTs.

With the pressing of the button, the Prime Minister will directlytransfertotal amount of Rs.44.70 crore as prize money ranging from Rs.5 lakh to Rs.50 lakh to the bank account of322 awardee Panchayatsacross 31 States/UTs in the country digitally (in real time) from the venue of NPRD–2022 celebration at Palli Gram Panchayat under Samba District in Jammu and Kashmir on this occasion.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been making efforts to bring in transparency, efficiency and accountability in the functioning of Gram Panchayats through the use of information and communication technology. The e-Panchayat Puraskar is conferred to those States which have ensured maximum use of information technology for monitoring the works of the Panchayats. The ranking of the following States that have been adjudged for e-Panchayat Puraskar under both the categories is as follows:

Winning States under Category I:

1st Place – Karnataka

2nd Place – Chhattisgarh

3rd Place – Odisha and Uttar Pradesh

Winning States under Category II:

1st Place – Tripura

2nd Place – Assam

3rd Place – Sikkim

All the States/ Union Territories have been requested to confer awards and plaques to the concerned awardees of National Panchayat Awards–2022 on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day on 24^th April, 2022 by in-charge Ministers of Districts, Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), Senior Administrative Officers, eminent personalities etc. who may also be requested to attend of Gram Sabha in any one Gram Panchayat. The awardees plaques have been despatched by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to concerned States/UTs. Further, it has also been requested that simultaneously, other activities such as cultural programmes, debates, presentations etc. may be organized during these events, keeping localization of Sustainable Development Goals in focus.

National Panchayati Raj Day will serve as an important occasion as well as a significant step towards creating awareness and building momentum for India@2047 and also building institutional, individual, institutional, cross-organizational and operational capabilities for achieving the global SDGs agenda in local context by 2030. The seventeen SDGs are subsumed under nine broad themes, and one or more such themes will be adopted as Sankalp by Gram Panchayats in specially convened Gram Sabhas on 24^th April, 2022. Ministry of Panchayati Raj has requested all Gram Panchayats to organize Special Gram Sabha meetings on 24^th April, 2022 across the country to mark the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day.

The NPRD–2022programme will be telecast LIVE overDoordarshan (DD)–News, its Regional Kendras and this important event will be witnessed by the dignitaries, public representatives as well as officers of Panchayati Raj Departments and other stake-holders at State / District / Block / Panchayat level across level adhering to COVID-19 protocols and preventive measures. With an aim to maximize the outreach of the Panchayat-focus people oriented NPRD programme to the last mile, web-link for registration forwatching the NPRD–2022 event live from 12:00 noon on 24th April, 2022 has been created and made live for everyone to register on the following link: https://pmevents.ncog.gov.in. The live webcast of Hon'ble Prime Minister’s address to all Gram Sabhas and Panchayati Raj Institutions/ Rural Local Bodies will be available at link: https://pmindiawebcast.nic.in.

Background:

24^th April is observed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj as National Panchayati Raj Day (NPRD) every year to celebrate the constitutional status accorded to Panchayati Ray system in the country. This occasion provides an opportunity for direct dialogue with Panchayat representatives from all over the country as well as recognizing their achievements to empower and motivate them. The objective of the celebrating the National Panchayati Raj Day is to increase awareness about Panchayats and Gram Sabhas, the institutions of the local self-governments for the rural areas mandated by the Constitution, and also about their roles, responsibilities, achievements, concerns, resolutions etc. States and Union Territories are requested to celebrate National Panchayati Raj Day in a befitting manner and call upon Panchayati Raj Institutions/ Rural Local Bodies to celebrate National Panchayati Raj Day with a ‘whole of society’ approach ensuring maximum possible ‘Jan Bhagidari’. National Panchayat Awards are also conferred to well-performing Panchayats on this occasion.        

*****

APS/JK