New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: In a landmark recognition for grassroots digital governance, Suakati Gram Panchayat of Kendujhar district, Odisha, has been conferred the Jury Award under the newly introduced category “Grassroots-level initiatives in Gram Panchayats for deepening service delivery” at the National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) 2025.
The award was presented during the 28th National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The event was inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, while the awards were conferred by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (PMO & Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions).
Suakati Gram Panchayat, led by Sarpanch Kautuka Naik, was recognized for digitizing essential citizen services through OdishaOne and Seva Odisha platforms, enabling 24/7 access with real-time tracking. Its inclusive model ensures women’s leadership and last-mile delivery, bridging the gap between citizens and governance.
Other awardees included Rohini Gram Panchayat (Maharashtra) which won the Gold Award, West Majlishpur Gram Panchayat (Tripura) which won the Silver Award, and Palsana Gram Panchayat (Gujarat) which also received a Jury Award.
Each winning Panchayat received a trophy, certificate, and financial incentives — ₹10 lakh for the Gold and ₹5 lakh for the Silver — to be reinvested in citizen-centric initiatives.
Instituted for the first time this year by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in collaboration with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the award category underscores the vision that “Good Governance is best delivered through Digital Governance.”
The two-day conference, themed “Viksit Bharat: Civil Service and Digital Transformation”, will continue on September 23 with a special plenary session chaired by Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, to showcase these Panchayat-level innovations as replicable models across India.
