Context :

• The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has announced the winners of the ‘National Panchayat Awards 2025’, in which 42 Panchayats from 17 States and Union Territories have been selected.

Key Points :

• Award Ceremony: To be held on 3 June in New Delhi.
• These awards are given for outstanding performance in the localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in rural areas.
• Award Categories: Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar and Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar.
• The Deen Dayal Upadhyay Awards honour outstanding Gram Panchayats that have performed exceptionally well in SDG-related themes such as poverty-free livelihood, health, water sufficiency, sanitation, women-friendly governance, and social justice.
• Under the Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar, awards are given to the best-performing Panchayats at district, block, and village levels. A total of eight Panchayats have been selected under this category, including three District Panchayats, two Block Panchayats, and three Gram Panchayats.
• Launch of ‘National Panchayat Awards’: These awards were started in 2011.
• Most Successful State: Karnataka secured the first position by winning the highest number of 6 awards.
• Andhra Pradesh and Odisha received 5 awards each.
• Best District Panchayat: Sepahijala, Tripura
• Best Block Panchayat: Harippad, Kerala
• Best Gram Panchayat: New Napam, Assam

Winners of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar–2025

Poverty-Free and Enhanced Livelihood Panchayat :

• First Position: Karnataka – Mudradi Gram Panchayat (Hebri, Udupi) – ₹1.00 crore
• Second Position: Andhra Pradesh – Chemmullapalli Gram Panchayat (Khajipet, YSR) – ₹0.75 crore
• Third Position: Sikkim – Gyalshing Omchung Gram Panchayat (Gyalshing) – ₹0.50 crore

Healthy Panchayat :

• First Position: Tripura – Kanchanbari Gram Panchayat (Kumarghat, Unakoti) – ₹1.00 crore
• Second Position: Karnataka – Vandse Gram Panchayat (Kundapura, Udupi) – ₹0.75 crore
• Third Position: Kerala – Niranam Gram Panchayat (Pulikeezhu, Pathanamthitta) – ₹0.25 crore
• Third Position: Odisha – Potlampur Gram Panchayat (Chhatrapur, Ganjam) – ₹0.25 crore

Child-Friendly Panchayat :

• First Position: Maharashtra – Itgaon (Pu) Gram Panchayat (Bhandara, Bhandara) – ₹1.00 crore
• Second Position: Karnataka – Halanayakanahalli Gram Panchayat (Bengaluru East, Bengaluru Urban) – ₹0.75 crore
• Third Position: Kerala – Ottur Gram Panchayat (Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram) – ₹0.50 crore

Water-Sufficient Panchayat :

• First Position: Maharashtra – Khariwali Gram Panchayat (Khalapur, Raigad) – ₹1.00 crore
• Second Position: Karnataka – Madamakki Gram Panchayat (Hebri, Udupi) – ₹0.75 crore
• Third Position: Odisha – Padua Gram Panchayat (Champua, Kendujhar) – ₹0.50 crore

Clean and Green Panchayat :

• First Position: Mizoram – Kawrthah North – ₹1.00 crore
• Second Position: Assam – Jumarmur Gram Panchayat (Kathiatoli, Nagaon) – ₹0.375 crore
• Second Position: Odisha – Hathibandha Gram Panchayat (Lathikata, Sundargarh) – ₹0.375 crore
• Third Position: Chhattisgarh – Sardih Gram Panchayat (Bagicha, Jashpur) – ₹0.25 crore
• Third Position: Himachal Pradesh – Lohardi Gram Panchayat (Balh, Mandi) – ₹0.25 crore

Self-Reliant Infrastructure in Panchayat :

• First Position: Kerala – Melukavu Gram Panchayat (Erattupetta, Kottayam) – ₹1.00 crore
• Second Position: Assam – Hugrijan Gram Panchayat (Tengakhat, Dibrugarh) – ₹0.75 crore
• Third Position: Andhra Pradesh – Gundamala Gram Panchayat (Kotha Patnam, Prakasam) – ₹0.25 crore
• Third Position: Karnataka – Sanoor Gram Panchayat (Karkala, Udupi) – ₹0.25 crore

Socially Just and Socially Secure Panchayat :

• First Position: Himachal Pradesh – Shansha Gram Panchayat (Lahaul, Lahaul and Spiti) – ₹1.00 crore
• Second Position: Maharashtra – Chambharli Gram Panchayat (Khalapur, Raigad) – ₹0.375 crore
• Second Position: Odisha – Mandar Gram Panchayat (Polosara, Ganjam) – ₹0.375 crore
• Third Position: Jammu and Kashmir – Wagura Gram Panchayat (BK Pora, Budgam) – ₹0.25 crore
• Third Position: Karnataka – Hakladi Gram Panchayat (Kundapura, Udupi) – ₹0.25 crore

Good Governance Panchayat :

• First Position: Andhra Pradesh – Sringavaram Gram Panchayat (Nathavaram, Visakhapatnam) – ₹1.00 crore
• Second Position: Maharashtra – Nimbale Gram Panchayat (Chandwad, Nashik) – ₹0.75 crore
• Third Position: Telangana – Mothukupalle Gram Panchayat (Kotepally, Vikarabad) – ₹0.50 crore

Women-Friendly Panchayat :

• First Position: Andhra Pradesh – Bokkasam Palem Gram Panchayat (Srikalahasti, Tirupati) – ₹1.00 crore
• Second Position: Jharkhand – Jhikrahati Purvi Gram Panchayat (Pakur, Pakur) – ₹0.75 crore
• Third Position: Telangana – Fasalwadi Gram Panchayat (Sangareddy, Sangareddy) – ₹0.25 crore
• Third Position: Tripura – Baikunthpur Gram Panchayat (Hezamara, West Tripura) – ₹0.25 crore

Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar–2025

Best District Panchayat :

• First Position: Tripura – Sepahijala – ₹5.00 crore
• Second Position: Odisha – Ganjam – ₹3.00 crore
• Third Position: Tamil Nadu – Coimbatore – ₹2.00 crore

Best Block Panchayat :

• First Position: Kerala – Harippad (Alappuzha) – ₹2.00 crore
• Third Position: Andhra Pradesh – Kuppam (Chittoor) – ₹1.50 crore

Best Gram Panchayat :

• First Position: Assam – New Napam Gram Panchayat (Gabhoru, Sonitpur) – ₹1.50 crore
• Second Position: Bihar – Telkap Gram Panchayat (Rohtas, Rohtas) – ₹1.25 crore
• Third Position: Uttar Pradesh – Birharu Gram Panchayat (Saiyan, Agra) – ₹1.00 crore

Panchayati Raj

Panchayati Raj is a system of rural local self-government in India, which was granted constitutional status through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992.

Three-Tier Structure :

1. Gram Level (Gram Panchayat) :

• Unit: Gram Panchayat
• Head: Mukhiya/Sarpanch/Pradhan (elected directly or indirectly according to state law)
• Members: Ward members elected directly by village voters.
• Role: Implementation of local development schemes and management of basic services such as sanitation, lighting, and water supply.

2. Intermediate Level (Block/Mandal Level) :

• Unit: Panchayat Samiti (also known as Janpad Panchayat or Mandal Parishad in different states)
• Head: Chairperson/Pradhan (elected indirectly by elected members)
• Members: Directly elected representatives along with MLAs and MPs of the area.
• Role: Acts as a link between Gram Panchayats and Zila Parishad and coordinates development schemes at the block level.

3. District Level (District Panchayat) :

• Unit: Zila Parishad
• Head: Chairperson/Chairman (elected indirectly by elected members)
• Members: Directly elected district members, all Panchayat Samiti chairpersons, and MPs/MLAs of the district.
• Role: Supervises activities of Panchayat Samitis, approves budgets, and advises the state government.

Important Committees :

• Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957): Recommended the three-tier Panchayati Raj system.
• Ashok Mehta Committee (1977): Recommended a two-tier structure.
• L.M. Singhvi Committee (1986): Strongly recommended constitutional status for Panchayats.

Constitutional Provisions :

• Part of Constitution: Included in Part IX (Articles 243 to 243O) of the Constitution.
• Article 243 (Definitions): Defines important terms such as ‘Gram Sabha’, ‘Panchayat’, and ‘Panchayat Area’.
• Article 243A (Gram Sabha): Gram Sabha is the basic unit of Panchayati Raj and includes all registered voters of the village. Its powers are determined by the State Legislature.
• Article 243B (Constitution of Panchayats): Provides for a three-tier system (village, intermediate, and district levels). Exception: Intermediate level is not mandatory in states with population below 20 lakh.
• Article 243C (Composition of Panchayats): Elections to all seats shall be through direct voting. The procedure for electing chairpersons is decided by the State Legislature.

Article 243D (Reservation of Seats):

• Reservation for SC/ST in proportion to their population.
• At least one-third (33%) seats reserved for women, including chairperson posts.
• Article 243E (Duration of Panchayats): Tenure of 5 years. If dissolved, elections must be conducted within 6 months.
• Article 243F (Disqualification for Membership): No person above 21 years of age can be disqualified from contesting Panchayat elections.
• Article 243G (Powers, Authority and Responsibilities): Panchayats are empowered to prepare plans for economic development and social justice. Includes 29 subjects of the 11th Schedule.
• Article 243H (Power to Levy Taxes): Panchayats can levy taxes, duties, tolls, and receive grants-in-aid from government funds.
• Article 243I (State Finance Commission): Constituted by the Governor every 5 years to review the financial position of Panchayats.
• Article 243K (State Election Commission): Independent body responsible for conduct, direction, and control of Panchayat elections.
• Article 243O (Bar to Interference by Courts): Courts cannot interfere in matters related to delimitation of constituencies or allocation of seats.