VISAKHAPATNAM – Four Gram Panchayats from Maharashtra, Tripura, Gujarat and Odisha were recognised for pioneering digital governance initiatives at the 28th National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG), here in Vizag.
The National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) 2025 introduced a new category for grassroots-level initiatives in Gram Panchayats, the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) said in a statement.
The awards were conferred by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office, and MoS (Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions), during the two-day conference in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
After evaluation of more than 1.45 lakh entries nationwide, Rohini Gram Panchayat in Dhule, Maharashtra, won the Gold Award and a financial incentive of ₹10 lakh.
West Majlishpur Gram Panchayat in West Tripura District received the Silver Award and ₹5 lakh. Palsana Gram Panchayat, Surat, Gujarat, and Suakati Gram Panchayat, Kendujhar, Odisha, were given Jury Awards.
Award amounts are to be reinvested in strengthening citizen-centric services, the statement said.
Rohini Gram Panchayat has adopted a fully paperless e-Office system, providing 1,027 online services and achieving 100% household digital literacy. It also uses bulk SMS and real-time grievance tracking to connect citizens with governance processes.
West Majlishpur Gram Panchayat has digitised services including birth, death and marriage certificates, trade licences, property records, and MGNREGS job cards. Each request is monitored digitally to ensure accountability and timely delivery.
Palsana Gram Panchayat has integrated state portals such as Digital Gujarat and Gram Suvidha to enable QR and UPI-based property tax payments, online grievance redressal, and welfare delivery. The panchayat serves over 10,000 citizens annually through online platforms.
Suakati Gram Panchayat has digitised essential services via OdishaOne and Seva Odisha platforms, offering 24/7 access and real-time tracking. Its initiatives emphasise women’s leadership and inclusive service delivery, bridging the gap between government and citizens, the ministry said.
The awards were instituted by DARPG in collaboration with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to highlight the government’s vision that good governance is best delivered through digital means.
The conference, jointly organised with MeitY and the Andhra Pradesh government, with IIM Visakhapatnam as knowledge partner, is themed “Viksit Bharat: Civil Service and Digital Transformation.”
On 23 September, a dedicated plenary session on “Gram Panchayats and Grassroots Innovations in e-Governance” is scheduled to showcase these success stories as replicable models for Panchayats nationwide.
