Policy Update
Prithvi Naoh
Introduction
The National Panchayat Awards are a yearly initiative by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR). Government of India , to recognize and give praises and incentivize the outstanding capabilities and approach of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). These awards aim to improve and encourage transparency, accountability, innovation and effective governance at the grassroots level which in turn will strengthen democracy. Given the effective importance of PRIs in India which play a critical role in rural development and democratic decentralization, the National Panchayat Awards serve as an important mechanism for strengthening local governance in India.
Historical Background
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 institutionalized the idea of Panchayati Raj System, making it a three-level structure of local governance. Gram Panchayat at the village level, Panchayat Samiti at the block level, and Zila Parishad at the district level. To enhance the decentralized governance model, the MoPR introduced the concepts of Panchayat Awards in 2011, at the outset it was known as the Panchayat Empowerment & Accountability Incentive scheme.
Types and Features of the Awards
The National Panchayat Awards are presented every year on National Panchayati Raj Day ( april 24 ) and are divided into several categories such as
- Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Sashakthikaran Puraskar (DDUPSP): Given to the best-performing Gram, Block, and District Panchayat based on the terms of overall governance.
- Nanaji Deshmukh Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Puraskar (NDRGGSP): Given to facilitate and encourage the effectiveness of GramSabha activities.
- Child-Friendly Gram Panchayat Award ( CFGPA): Recognizes Panchayats that are promoting child rights and developments and works towards them.
- e-Panchayat Puraskar: Given to the best Panchayats who have excelled in adoption of digital tools and ICT in panchayat administration.
- Gram Urja Swaraj Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar: Introduced to reward panchayats that have been working towards energy self sufficiency.
Key Features
- Assessment based on Performance Based Incentive Index ( PBII) have been introduced to assess factors relating to local governance.
- Evaluation of areas such as sanitation, health, education, e-governance, and financial management and workshops spreading awareness about them are all happening to increase the rural citizens’ knowledge.
- Focussed on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a more decentralized manner for more localization at village level.
Source- https://panchayataward.gov.in/
Merits of the National Panchayat Awards
- Incentivizes Performance: Encourages and motivates local bodies to improve governance through competition and recognition with other Panchayats.
- Promotes Transparency: Emphasizes data-driven performance and evaluation which opens opportunities of accountability and fosters openness.
- Fosters Innovations: Motivates adoption of technologies like digital tools and ICT which paves way to innovative practices in administration.
- Enhances Citizens Participation: Empowers the rural citizens through awareness programmes and involvement in the areas of local governance.
- Strengthen Decentralization: Reinforcement of the constitutional mandate of grassroots self-governance.
As per the MoPR annual report (2023), Award winning Panchayats show greater amounts of public services and better delivery and management of local resources.
Demerits and Challenges
Despite its strengths, the National Panchayat Awards faces several criticism such as:
- Data Reliability Issues: Dependence on self-reported data raises concerns on its authenticity and accuracy.
- Regional Imbalances: Some states consistently dominate in winning all the awards, showing us disparities in resources access.
- Overemphasis on Quantitative Metrics: Might overshadow qualitative aspects like inclusiveness and social justice owing to more focus on the quantitative aspects.
- Short-term focus: awards like this may lead to temporary compliance rather than long-term capacity building which hinders long-term developments.
- Lack of Post-Award Monitoring: Limited mechanism to track the post-award phase and the long-term impact of awarded initiatives.
Other Relevant Dimensions
The linking of programmes with SDGs helps in a more sustainable form of developments and are aligned with SDGs targets such as health, education, clean water and sanitation. The inclusion of gender and social justices plays an important role and ensures safety of women, children, and marginalized communities. Inclusion of digital governance also plays a vital role as digital inclusion becomes a core pillar with all the e-Panchayat initiatives.
Way Forward
Enhancing training and technical support which results in capacity building for weaker Panchayats to create a level playing field is needed. Incorporating third-party evaluations that are made on the lines of an independent audit mechanism would ensure transparency in award selection. Conducting mass outreach programs to promote broader participation, increased awareness, and understanding. Encouraging long-term strategies for institutional reforms that include sustainable reforms and which emphasises performances over rewards alone. Tracking progress and impact of award-winning Panchayats over time to assess effectiveness in ways of reward impact monitoring.
Conclusion
The National Panchayat Awards are a vital initiative to recognize the backbone of India’s democratic structure- its village level local governance institutions. While the awards have improved performances and innovations at the grassroots, reforms are needed to ensure they serve as a tool for genuine empowerment and the reforms are reaching every nook and corner of the country and the idea of equitable developments reaches everyone. Going forward, these awards can become benchmarks for global best practices in local governance if aligned more effectively with inclusion, transparency and sustainable development goals.
References
- Government of India. (1992). The Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1992. Ministry of Law and Justice. https://legislative.gov.in/
- Kumar, R., & Rani, M. (2022). Evaluating Panchayat Performance: A Review of the National Panchayat Awards. Journal of Rural Development Studies, 38(1), 12–25.
- Ministry of Panchayati Raj. (2023). Annual Report 2022–23. Government of India. https://panchayat.gov.in
- Ministry of Panchayati Raj. (2024). Guidelines for the National Panchayat Awards 2024. Government of India. https://panchayat.gov.in
About the contributor- Prithvi Naoh is a research intern at IMPRI and is currently pursuing his Masters in International Relations.
Acknowledgement- The author sincerely thanks Ms. Aasthaba Jadeja and the fellow IMPRI fellows for their valuable contributions.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
Read more at IMPRI:
Special Urban Housing Refinance Plan (2012) for Low-Income Families
Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA), 2017
