NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give away awards to bureaucrats from both the Centre and states for excellence in implementing NDA government’s priority programs like ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ and ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana’.
Select bureaucrats will get the Prime Minister’s awards on April 21, observed as Civil Services’ Day, for their contribution to effective implementation of the government’s key initiatives.
The award, which carries a citation and cash prize, is to recognize and reward the extraordinary and innovative works done by officers of the central and state governments.
This is for the first time a new category of “excellence in implementing a priority program” has been added to the PM’s awards. The theme of 10th Civil Services Day is “Transforming India–Reform to Transform”.
“Modi will confer awards to civil servants for excellence in implementation of priority programs of the government of India namely Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna (PMJDY), Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), Swachh Vidyalaya and Soil Health Card Scheme,” a press release issued today by Ministry of Personnel said.
The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) is to bring about an improvement in the general quality of life in the rural areas, by promoting cleanliness, hygiene and eliminating open defecation.
Whereas, Swachh Vidyalaya mission is aimed at ensuring separate toilets in every school for boys and girls. The objective of Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana is to provide weaker sections and low income groups access to various financial services like savings bank account, need based credit, remittances facility, insurance and pension.
The Soil Health Card scheme is meant to give each farmer the soil nutrient status of his holding and advise him on the dosage of fertilizers, besides information on soil modification for long-term improved soil health. . A total of ten districts will be given the Prime Minister’s awards under the four priority programs. These awards will be given in three groups–the first group consists of eight north-eastern states and the three hill states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
The remaining 18 states constitute the second group while the third group comprises seven Union Territories. Eight awards will be given to the first and second group under the four priority programs, it said.
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) has conducted an exhaustive analysis and assessment for short listing the awards.
Like the previous year, the Civil Services Day function will be an elaborate affair spread over two days. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu will be the Chief Guest at the inaugural function on April 20. Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh will preside over the function.
Civil Services Day is organized on April 21 every year when civil servants rededicate themselves to the cause of the citizens and renew their commitment to public service.
The day coincides with the date on which Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel had addressed the first batch of probationers at the All India Administrative Service Training School at Metcalfe House, New Delhi in 1947.
The Prime Minister’s awards for excellence in public administration are also given away on this day. Civil Services Day was organized for the first time in 2006. Since then every year the function is being organized by the DARPG, the release said.–PTI
