New Delhi: To launch a focused panchayat outreach initiative, the government has invited 150 women panchayat heads (Sarpanch) who have excelled in achieving saturation in three priority government programmes to attend the Independence Day celebrations in Delhi later this month. The panchayat leaders were selected from the list of ‘achievers’ recognised in the Prime Minister’s Awards for Public Administration. The sarpanches and members from five states — Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Meghalaya, and Uttar Pradesh have demonstrated outstanding performance and innovation in implementing government schemes, according to a News18 report.
A senior officer involved in the process said the decision to call 150 women sarpanches is a two-way outreach initiative by the government that underscores its commitment to fostering and recognising political leadership at the panchayat level.
“It aims to actively encourage women to participate in politics and administration in rural areas, whether as sarpanch or panchayat members. This decision aligns with the Modi government’s broader campaign to promote Nari Shakti,” he was quoted as saying.
Notably, the government launched the Prime Minister’s Award programme from five states and 1,288 panchayat heads were selected for achieving saturation in ‘Priority Sector Schemes under the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration’.
