Dawwa/S Gram Panchayat in Gondia District Honoured with ‘National Panchayat Award’; Tops in Climate Action Special Category

New Delhi – On the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day, several village panchayats and institutions across the country were honoured by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their outstanding work. Among the awardees, Dawwa/S Gram Panchayat from Gondia district received the Climate Action Special Panchayat Award for the year 2023–24, conferred directly by Prime Minister Modi.

The award ceremony was organised by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in Madhubani, Bihar as part of the National Panchayati Raj Day 2025 celebrations. This year marked the first presentation of awards in new categories including the Climate Action Special Panchayat Award, Aatmanirbhar Panchayat Special Award, and Best Institution for Panchayat Capacity Building (PKNSSP). Dawwa/S Gram Panchayat secured the top position in the Climate Action category. The award was received by the Sarpanch of the village, Yogeshwari Chaudhary, from Prime Minister Modi. The award includes ₹1 crore in cash, a trophy, and a certificate.

Dawwa/S Gram Panchayat Sets an Example in Tackling Climate Change

Located in Sadak Arjuni Taluka of Gondia District, Dawwa/S Gram Panchayat clinched the first place in the Climate Action Special Panchayat Award category. Their impactful measures toward environmental conservation and sustainable development to combat climate change have set a national benchmark.

Through various innovative initiatives, the gram panchayat has fostered an eco-friendly lifestyle in the village. Every household has been encouraged to adopt solar energy, and the use of plastic and firecrackers has been entirely banned. These steps have significantly reduced the village’s carbon footprint.

Initiatives preserving the five elements of nature — Earth, Air, Water, Fire, and Space — and efforts toward biodiversity conservation have been successfully implemented. The leadership of Sarpanch Yogeshwari Chaudhary and Panchayat Officer Sindhu Suryavanshi was instrumental in this achievement. Villagers actively participated in the initiatives, taking collective responsibility for environmental protection. A central government inspection team visited the village on April 11, 2025, to evaluate these efforts.

Other Award Winners

Under the same Climate Action Special Panchayat Award category, Biradahalli Gram Panchayat from Hassan District, Karnataka secured second place, receiving ₹75 lakh, and Motipur Gram Panchayat from Samastipur District, Bihar came third, earning ₹50 lakh.

In the Aatmanirbhar Panchayat Special Award category, Mall Gram Panchayat from Ranga Reddy District, Telangana bagged the first prize of ₹1 crore. Hatbadra Gram Panchayat from Mayurbhanj District, Odisha took second place with a ₹75 lakh award, while Gollapudi Gram Panchayat from Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh won third prize with ₹50 lakh.

Institutions that excelled under the Best Institution for Panchayat Capacity Building category were also honoured. Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) secured the first position with a ₹1 crore award. The State Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Odisha received second place with ₹75 lakh, and the State Institute of Panchayat and Rural Development, Assam, came third, earning ₹50 lakh.