Two gram panchayats from Himachal Pradesh have earned national recognition at the National Panchayat Awards Ceremony held at the SCOPE Convention Centre in New Delhi on Wednesday. The event was organized by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India.
Shansha Panchayat Wins Top Prize
Gram Panchayat Shansha, located in the Lahaul & Spiti district, secured the first prize under the category of "Socially Just & Socially Secured Panchayat." The panchayat was awarded a cash prize of Rs 1 crore along with a trophy. According to a spokesperson from the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, the panchayat was recognized for its outstanding efforts in ensuring social security, employment generation, healthcare coverage, women's participation, and inclusive governance in this remote tribal area.
Key achievements of Shansha Panchayat include the issuance of job cards under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), coverage of beneficiaries under the National Social Assistance Programme, distribution of Ayushman Bharat Health Cards, implementation of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), and conducting Mahila Gram Sabhas to promote participatory governance.
Lohardi Panchayat Honored for Clean and Green Initiatives
Similarly, Gram Panchayat Lohardi in Mandi district secured the joint third prize under the "Clean and Green Panchayat" category. The panchayat received a cash award of Rs 25 lakh. Lohardi earned recognition for achieving 100 percent household toilet coverage with sustained Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, universal adoption of clean cooking fuel (LPG), implementation of a door-to-door waste collection system, waste segregation, promotion of composting and organic waste management, solar-powered infrastructure, and community-led environmental conservation initiatives.
Award Ceremony Highlights
The awards were conferred by Union Panchayati Raj Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh in the presence of senior officials from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, representatives from various states, and Panchayati Raj Institutions from across the country. The awards were received by Raghav Sharma, Director of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Himachal Pradesh, and Prashant, Pradhan of Gram Panchayat Shansha.
The state government and the Panchayati Raj Department congratulated both gram panchayats for their exemplary work, stating that these achievements reflect Himachal Pradesh's continued commitment to sustainable rural development, inclusive governance, and grassroots empowerment.
