Civil Services Day

On the occasion of Civil Services Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conferred the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration.

About Civil Services Day –

• Every year, on April 21, the public services rendered by these civil servants is celebrated in the form of Civil Services Day.
• It was on this day in 1947 that the country’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Officers in 1947 at Metcalf House, Delhi.
• He rightly described the civil servants the ‘steel frame of India’.
• The first such function was held in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 21st April, 2006.

About the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration –

Government of India has instituted a scheme in 2006 namely, “The Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration” – to acknowledge, recognise and reward the extraordinary and innovative work done by Districts/ Organisations of the Central and State Governments.

Restructuring of the scheme –

• The Scheme was restructured in 2014 for recognising the performance of District Collectors in Priority Programs, Innovations and Aspirational Districts.
• The Scheme has been restructured again in 2020, to recognise the performance of District Collectors towards economic development of the District.

Changes brought in 2020 –

• Since the year 2020, the scheme for Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration has been comprehensively restructured to recognise the contribution of civil servants in strengthening of –
  • • Inclusive Development through Credit Flow to the Priority Sector
    • Promoting people’s movements – “Jan Bhagidari” through Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban and Gramin) in the District
    • Improving Service Delivery and Redressal of Public Grievances
• The scope of the awards has been expanded to identify areas of overall outcome-oriented performance in the districts across sectors. The contribution of District Collectors would be recognised for implementation of Inclusive Credit Flow to the Priority Sector, promoting people’s movements through Jan Bhagidari and Improving Service Delivery and Redressal of Public Grievances.
• Further the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration seek to recognise the efforts of District level officials in Namami Gange Program.
• The award for the Aspirational Districts Program has been revamped to reward the District having the best overall progress under the Scheme following 2 years of implementation.
• The Innovations category has traditionally received the highest number of nominations. The scheme has been broad based to recognise Innovations at National/ State / District level in 3 separate categories.