For the year 2024, the scheme for Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration aims to recognize the contribution of civil servants under the following categories :-
The applications for the award would be required to cover all the aspects as stated below.
For the year 2024, the scheme for Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration aims to recognize the contribution of civil servants in holistic development of the District under the following schemes:
The applications for the award would be required to cover all the aspects of implementation of the cumulative implementation of the above schemes in a holistic manner, with focus on saturation approach, such as, activities covering production stage, quality control, governance and outcomes. Any application for the awards is expected to comprise of three parts:
With the emphasis on the above, the parameters for evaluation would include quantifiable parameters provided by the concerned Nodal Departments for that Award and broad indicators for qualitative and governance to be laid down in the Application Form by the Department (DARPG), on which the specific and detailed information, along with evidence would be provided in the application. The Districts would be expected to emphasize such elements in the strategy that have enhanced quality and good governance in the scheme. The elements of good governance that are to be promoted include measures towards:
I. Enhancing transparency and checking corruption.
II. Effectiveness of administration and regulatory quality
III. Accountability
IV. Inclusiveness and community participation
V. Grievance Redressal mechanism and feedback system
VI. Quality and Capability of Human Resource and mechanism of capacity building
VII. Replicability and Sustainability
VIII. Convergence of schemes
Further, the good governance practices and methodology vary among the Districts/ implementing agencies. The measures introduced to strengthen the scheme administrative architecture on the above stated eight parameters may be included in the applications. In assessment of an application for all the Awards the overall weightage for Quantitative, Governance and Qualitative parameters shall be 50%, 30% and 20% for the year 2024.
Since “Jan Bhagidari” is an important plank of implementation of government schemes, this would be analysed by following ecosystem approach, where the contribution of Jan Bhagidari at all the stages of implementation, such as mobilisation, production, quality control, seeking feedback of persons covered, as well as implementation of scheme shall be assessed. Further, additional weightage would be given to such applications where the Jan Bhagidari is successfully deployed through novel approaches.
The Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP) was launched on January 7, 2023, during the 2nd National Conference of Chief Secretaries. This aims to transform 500 blocks across 329 districts from 27 States & 4 Union Territories. The ABP focuses on improving governance to enhance the quality of life of citizens most difficult and underdeveloped blocks of India by converging existing schemes, defining outcomes, and monitoring them. Under ABP, 38 Key Performance Indicators are identified to measure the progress of the blocks under 5 themes of Health and Nutrition, Education, Agriculture and Allied Services, Social Development and Basic Infrastructure. The blocks are ranked on the basis of incremental progress achieved by the blocks, thus instilling a sense of healthy competition among them and financial incentives are also awarded on a quarterly basis.
The awards will be given for the totality of the performance under the Aspirational Blocks Program. Assessment of overall performance of the Aspirational Blocks along various parameters will be made. The Aspirational Blocks would be evaluated based on the progress made in the evaluation period.
The Innovations category has traditionally received the highest number of nominations. The scheme aims to recognize Innovations at National/ State / District level in 3 separate categories. The scheme will aim to recognise and award projects which demonstrate a high level of impact, sustainability and replicability. Towards this, along with the evidence of impact of innovation, random feedback of citizens, sustainability plan/ roadmap for the innovative practice, a tool-kit for replication would be required to be provided by the concerned applicant. Further, such an innovation model is desired to be part of implementation of an ongoing scheme or pertain to governance, rather than being a stand- alone innovation. The Districts and the implementing agencies would be expected to emphasize such elements in the strategy that have enhanced quality and good governance in the scheme. The impact of such an innovation in overall achievement/ implementation of scheme would be assessed and the applications would be expected to include supportive evidence/ data.
