On December 11, 2024, the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, presented the National Panchayat Awards 2024 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The event honored 45 exceptional Panchayats for their outstanding contributions to sustainable and inclusive development in rural India.
The awards recognized the efforts of these Panchayats in areas such as poverty alleviation, health, water conservation, sanitation, and climate sustainability. The President emphasized the importance of village development and empowerment in making India a developed nation. She congratulated the winners and expressed confidence that this recognition would inspire other Panchayats to adopt best practices for inclusive growth.
The National Panchayat Awards, revamped in 2022 to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), celebrated the role of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in driving grassroots development. The awards were presented across various categories, including the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar and the Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar.
The event was attended by Union Minister of Panchayati Raj, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, and other dignitaries. A booklet titled “Best Practices on Works of Awardee Panchayats” was also unveiled, documenting the innovative practices implemented by the award-winning Panchayats.
