President of Srimandal Gram Panchayat V. Manjunath and Panchayat Development Officer Sharath Abhiman receiving the Gandhi Gram Puraskar in Bengaluru on Monday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Srimandal Gram Panchayat in Bidar district has been awarded the Gandhi Gram Puraskar for 2023-24 for its all-round achievements in tax mobilisation, drinking water supply, health, hygiene, women’s empowerment and infrastructure development.
The award, which carries a cash prize of ₹5 lakh, was presented at a ceremony in Bengaluru on Monday.
Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Priyank Kharge, who presented the award, noted that Srimandal “performed strongly across key indicators” of rural governance.
The recognition is part of the department’s annual initiative to incentivise best practices among gram panchayats across the State.
According to the award citation, Srimandal Gram Panchayat’s progress was driven by a combination of data-based planning and active field-level implementation. All verified development works were updated regularly on the Panchatantra software, enabling real-time monitoring by officials.
Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Girish Badole commended the panchayat’s performance stating that the team’s consistent efforts have now been acknowledged at the State-level.
The Gandhi Gram Puraskar, instituted by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, has enabled panchayats to develop sanitation systems, strengthen women’s self-help groups and improve community-level services, Dr. Badole added.
Gram panchayat president V. Manjunath expressed gratitude to district and taluk-level officers for their guidance.
Panchayat Development Officer Sharath Abhiman said that the ₹5 lakh prize will be utilised for ongoing development works, including expanding safe drinking water schemes and building community sanitation facilities.
The award reinforces our commitment to holistic and sustainable rural development, he added.
Published – December 01, 2025 07:46 pm IST
