Nominations for PM’s Awards for excellence in public administration now open; last date: October 17

Civil Services Day, April 21, 2013 (File photos)

DO YOU know a civil servant who has done an outstanding duty during the recent Jammu and Kashmir flood? Or anyone who has done exemplary work which is truly innovative? Then, that civil servant could be considered for the coveted Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration to be presented on April 21, 2015. The award is given annually and is open to
civil servants from state, Central governments including local bodies, Panchayats and Zilla Parishads etc. For the year 2013-14, the last date of nomination is October 17, 2014.
The award that includes a medal, a scroll and cash (Rs 1 lakh for individual and Rs 5 lakh for team) is given for individual or group, for the following achievements:
a) Implementation of innovative schemes/projects
b) Bringing perceptible systemic changes and building up institutions
c) Making public delivery systems efficient and corruption-free
d) Showing innovation and adaptation to meet stakeholders’ requirements
e) Extraordinary performance in emergent situations like floods, earthquake etc.
f) Setting high standards of services and continued improvement, showing high leadership qualities and improving employee motivation etc.
But, as the officers need to do such duties as part of their official mandate, they would be worthy of consideration for the award only if “the initiative(s) and accomplishment(s) is/are truly innovative, extra-ordinary, outstanding, exemplary and/or exceptional”, according to the guidelines for the award.
Significantly, self-nominations, and nominations that are not of serving civil servants and also nominations of organizations not involving serving civil servants would be rejected. But, if a nominated government servant superannuates after submitting the application, he/she shall not be excluded from receiving the award for the “Individual” and “Team” category.
In case of death of a nominated officer during the evaluation process, the award would be given posthumously and the award money would be given to the nominee of the deceased person.
This award scheme began in 2006-07, and the first such award was presented on the Civil Services Day i.e. April 21 in 2008.