Koraput: Koraput MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka has been conferred the prestigious Sansad Ratna Award 2026 as Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development & Panchayati Raj.
The award was presented at the 16th Sansad Ratna Awards ceremony held in New Delhi on September 9.
The Standing Committee on Rural Development & Panchayati Raj was one of four Parliamentary Committees selected for the honour this year. Under Ulaka’s chairmanship, the Committee has presented 41 reports to Parliament during the 18th Lok Sabha, covering critical areas of rural development, Panchayati Raj, rural employment and livelihoods, rural roads, land governance, tribal rights and grassroots democracy.
The awards were instituted in 2010 by the Prime Point Foundation on the suggestion of former President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to recognise outstanding parliamentary performance based on objective data.
Expressing gratitude, Ulaka said, “I am deeply honoured to receive the Sansad Ratna Award 2026 as Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Rural Development & Panchayati Raj. This recognition is the result of the collective work of every Member of the Committee. I sincerely thank all Committee Members, the officers and staff of the Lok Sabha Secretariat and the concerned Ministries and Departments for their cooperation.”
Dedicating the award to the people of his constituency, he said, “Above all, I dedicate this recognition to the people of Koraput. It is their trust that has given me the privilege and responsibility of representing them in the Parliament of India. Every recognition I receive as a parliamentarian ultimately belongs to the people who sent me to Parliament.”
The Committee’s reports have examined several major issues directly affecting rural India, including the implementation of MGNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), rural livelihoods and skilling, land acquisition and rehabilitation, Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP), and the functioning and empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions.
The panel has also undertaken significant work on issues concerning tribal and Scheduled Areas. Its report reviewing the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) focused on strengthening Gram Sabhas and protecting their role in community resources, land acquisition and local decision-making. It has also examined the effectiveness of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, with emphasis on genuine devolution of functions, finances and functionaries to Panchayati Raj Institutions.
Ulaka said that representing a predominantly rural and tribal constituency such as Koraput has given him a close understanding of the challenges faced by rural and Adivasi communities.
“Parliamentary Committees have an important responsibility to rise above political differences, scrutinise government programmes, ensure accountability and make policies work better for people on the ground. Our endeavour has been to ensure that the voices of villages, Panchayats, Gram Sabhas, women, farmers, workers, Adivasis and other marginalised communities find a meaningful place in policymaking,” he said.
In 2026, 12 Members of Parliament and four Parliamentary Standing Committees were selected for the Sansad Ratna Awards.
