Odisha to launch State-level ‘Panchayat Puraskar’

Bhubaneswar: Taking a cue from National Panchayat Awards given by the Union government, the Odisha government has unveiled its own State Panchayat Puraskar initiative to encourage excellence among panchayati raj institutions.

Speaking to mediapersons, Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Narayan Naik said the move is aimed at strengthening grassroots governance, enhancing livelihood opportunities and ensuring inclusive development across the State. Naik said: “Just as the Centre motivates panchayats with national awards, we are introducing the State Panchayat Awards to recognise and reward outstanding Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis and Zilla Parishads for their contributions in governance, service delivery and rural development.”

The Panchayati Raj Minister further said the State government has allocated Rs 4 crore for the implementation of the scheme. The awards, to be introduced from 2024-25, will identify the best-performing panchayats across multiple indicators and categories. Based on performance under Localised Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) in nine thematic areas, the top three Gram Panchayats and Panchayat Samitis will be awarded at the State level.

The minister also said the top three Gram Panchayats in each of the nine LSDG themes will receive individual recognition. Each district will identify the top three Gram Panchayats demonstrating best performance under LSDGs, who will be given monetary prizes. Similarly, the top three Gram Panchayats at the block level will receive Token Certificates of Appreciation.

The panchayats performing exceptionally in flagship areas such as MGNREGA, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Jal Jeevan Mission, Good Governance, Skill Development, Income Generation, Online Auditing and Women's Participation will be selected for the awards.

The award amount will range from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, depending on the level and performance category. The award money will be utilised for various development activities, such as thematic development based on the awarded LSDG category, Community Infrastructure such as roads, drinking water and basic amenities, Health Camps especially for women and children, Digital Literacy and Libraries like creating access to modern education and learning resources.

Naik emphasised that the selection process will be data-driven, impartial and transparent, ensuring fair recognition for outstanding performance. “The objective is not just to reward good work but also to set examples that can be replicated across the State,” he said.

He further said: “Through this initiative, we aim to encourage innovation at the grassroots, empower local governance and promote community-sensitive administration. “The country will develop when the Panchayati Raj System is strengthened. So, we are working on the principle of ‘Viksit Village and Viksit Odisha’,” added Naik.