New Delhi, March 7 (PTI): A record number of over 2,300 nominations have been received for this year's Prime Minister's awards to bureaucrats for implementing the Centre's key programmes.
Of the total 2,345 nominations, Uttar Pradesh has sent 269 entries, 114 from Madhya Pradesh, followed by Telangana and Gujarat with 98 nominations each, Odisha with 83, Rajasthan with 82 and Jharkhand with 81.
Among the North-Eastern and Hill states, Assam has sent maximum number of entries i.e. 50, followed by Himachal Pradesh with 33 and Uttarakhand with 22. Jammu and Kashmir has sent a total of 17 entries, a press release issued today by the Personnel Ministry said.
Of the total nominations, 1,515 have been received from 599 districts under the priority programmes category and 830 from various organisations and government agencies under innovation category.
The "Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2017" will be given to select bureaucrats and organisations by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Civil Services Day on April 21.
Union minister Jitendra Singh, who reviewed the preparations for the two-day programme, said efforts are being made to have some of the most renowned Noble laureates from across the world to deliver keynote addresses during the different sessions.
The final award winners will be decided on the basis of the performance of the priority programmes and innovation initiatives of the Centre undertaken by different districts or states during the period from April 1, 2015 to December 31, 2016, said the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
This year's awards, he said, will be based primarily on excellence in implementation of five priority programmes of government of India, which include Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
Awards will be given for excellence in implementation of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), e-National Agriculture Market (eNAM) and Startup India, Standup India programmes.
In addition, awards shall also be presented for innovative work done in areas of environment, conservation, disaster management, education, health, women and child initiatives, said Singh.
He said the entire concept and format of Civil Services Day has evolved in the last two years and transformed from being a mere ritual to an elaborate stimulating academic event.
The function inspires a sense of healthy competition among the different districts and states of the country to excel each other in implementing the various public welfare schemes and programmes of the Centre, the Minister said.
Singh said it has also inculcated a spirit of healthy competition among young Collectors and Deputy Commissioners across the country to showcase their work and to share it with the rest of the fraternity across the country, with final recognition and award from the Prime Minister.
