Srinagar: Jammu & Kashmir’s Wagoora Gram Panchayat in Budgam district has been selected for the National Panchayat Awards 2025 announced by the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj, with the Panchayat securing recognition under the “Socially Just & Socially Secured Panchayat” category carrying a prize of ₹25 lakh. Overall, 42 Panchayats from 17 states and Union Territories were selected for the national honours to be conferred in New Delhi on June 3.
The awards will be conferred on June 3 in New Delhi under two major categories — the Ministry of Panchayati Raj’s Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (DDUPSVP) and the Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (NDSPSVP).
According to the Ministry, Karnataka emerged as the top-performing state with six awards, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Odisha with five awards each.
The awards recognise Panchayats for achievements across nine themes linked to localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including poverty alleviation, healthcare, water sufficiency, child welfare, women empowerment, clean governance and infrastructure development.
Under the DDUPSVP category, 34 Gram Panchayats were selected across themes such as Poverty-Free Panchayat, Healthy Panchayat, Child-Friendly Panchayat, Water-Sufficient Panchayat, Women-Friendly Panchayat and Panchayat with Good Governance.
Among the top awardees, Mudradi Gram Panchayat in Karnataka’s Udupi district secured the first prize of ₹1 crore in the “Poverty-Free & Enhanced Livelihoods Panchayat” category, while Kanchanbari Panchayat in Tripura won ₹1 crore under the “Healthy Panchayat” category.
In the “Women-Friendly Panchayat” category, Bokkasam Palem in Andhra Pradesh received the top award of ₹1 crore, while Srungavaram Panchayat in Visakhapatnam district secured the first rank under the “Panchayat with Good Governance” category.
Jammu & Kashmir also figured among the awardees, with Wagoora Gram Panchayat in Budgam district receiving the third-rank award under the “Socially Just & Socially Secured Panchayat” category, carrying prize money of ₹25 lakh.
Under the Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar category, Sepahijala district in Tripura was adjudged the best District Panchayat in the country and received the top award of ₹5 crore. Ganjam district in Odisha secured the second prize of ₹3 crore, while Coimbatore district in Tamil Nadu received the third prize of ₹2 crore.
Harippad Block Panchayat in Kerala won the best Block Panchayat award with prize money of ₹2 crore, while New Napam Gram Panchayat in Assam was declared the best Gram Panchayat and awarded ₹1.5 crore.
The Ministry said financial incentives under the awards range from ₹50 lakh to ₹5 crore depending on category and ranking. The awards are funded under the Incentivisation of Panchayats component of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).
The Ministry stated that the awards framework was revamped in 2023 and aligned with the nine themes of Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals to make assessment more transparent, data-driven and outcome-oriented.
The awards aim to encourage Panchayats to strengthen local governance, improve public service delivery and accelerate inclusive rural development through community-led initiatives aligned with the vision of “Viksit Bharat @2047”.
