National Panchayat Awards 2020 | UPSC
HEADLINES:
Union Minister of Panchayati Raj & Rural Development Shri Narendra Singh Tomar distributes National Panchayat Awards 2020
WHY IN NEWS:
On National Panchayati Raj Day on 24th of April 2020, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had direct interaction with the panchayat representatives.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 2 : PRI
LEARNING:
For PRELIMS you need to focus on different categories of Awards and the significance . Winners and looser are to be ignored here . Names as such cannot be asked .
For MAINS can you explain slow propagation and penetration of PRI ? The idea of decentralisation ?
CONTEXT:
NATIONAL PANCHAYAT AWARDS 2020
BACKGROUND
- Though the Panchayati Raj Institutions have been in existence for a long time.
- It has been observed that these institutions have not been able to acquire the status and dignity of viable .
THERE ARE VARIOUS REASONS SUCH AS
- Absence of regular elections
- Prolonged super sessions
- Inadequate devolution of powers and
- Lack of financial resources.
PANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS
- The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24th April, 1993 has vested constitutional status on Panchayati Raj institutions.
- The impact of the 73rd Amendment in rural India is very visible as it has changed power equations irreversibly.
- The Government of India decided in consultation with the States to celebrate 24th April as National Panchayati Raj Day.
- The National Panchayati Raj Day (NPRD) is being celebrated on 24 April since 2010.
- Ministry of Panchayati Raj commemorates the National Panchayati Raj Day on 24th April 2020.
- During the National Panchayat Raj Day event, the following awards were given to the best performing Panchayats.
THE THREE CATEGORIES OF NATIONAL PANCHAYAT AWARDS
- Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India has incentivized the best performing Panchayats recommended by the State Governments since 2011-12 under Panchayat Empowerment and Accountability Incentive Scheme (PEAIS).
- The initiative has been continued under Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan.
RASHTRIYA PANCHAYAT AWARDS
PANDIT DEENDAYAL UPADHYAY PANCHAYAT SASHATIKARAN PURASKAR is awarded for the best panchayat services in following field:
- Sanitation
- Civic Services (drinking water, street light, infrastructure)
- Natural Resource Management
- Serving Marginalized Section (women, SC/ST, disabled, senior citizen)
- Social Sector Performance
- Disaster Management
- CBOs/ Individuals taking voluntary actions to support Gram Panchayats
- Innovation in revenue generation
- e-Governance
- E-PANCHAYAT PURASKAR : e-Panchayat Puraskar is given to States/UTs or promoting e-enablement of PRIs for bringing in efficiency, transparency and accountability in their functioning.
THEMATIC CATEGORIES
- NANAJI DESHMUKH RASHTRIYA GAURAV GRAM SABHA PURASKAR (NDRGGSP) to Gram Panchayats for outstanding performance of Gram Sabha.
- GRAM PANCHAYAT DEVELOPMENT PLAN (GPDP) Award is to be conferred upon three best performing Gram Panchayats across the country.
- CHILD-FRIENDLY GRAM PANCHAYAT AWARD has been instituted during the year 2018-19 for best performing GPs/Village Councils (VCs) (one in each State/UT) for adopting child-friendly practices.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- This magazine contains information about the excellent works of Panchayats, inspiring themes and success stories.
- Villages are at the center of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, there is a great responsibility on Panchayats.
- At the core of Self-Reliant India is a village and agro-based economy.
“The voice of the people may be said to be God’s voice, the voice of the Panchayat.” -Mahatma Gandhi
SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB | National Panchayat Awards 2020

DISCOVER MORE : GS-1
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