Tripura has once again brought national recognition to its Panchayati Raj institutions by securing three prestigious National Panchayat Awards 2025.
Announcing the achievement at a press conference held at the Civil Secretariat in Agartala on Saturday afternoon, Panchayat Minister Kishore Barman said the awards reflect the state’s sustained progress in decentralization, good governance, inclusive development, and strengthening rural infrastructure.
The Minister said that Tripura’s Panchayati Raj system has emerged as a national model through continuous efforts in rural development and public service delivery. He emphasized that the recognition is a result of the state’s commitment to effective grassroots governance and development-oriented initiatives.
Among the award-winning institutions, the Sepahijala Zilla Parishad secured the first position nationally in the “Best District Panchayat” category. The Kanchanbari Gram Panchayat of Unakoti district won first place in the “Healthy Panchayat” category, while Bekucherra Gram Panchayat of West Tripura district secured third place in the “Women-Friendly Panchayat” category.
The awards also carry significant financial incentives. Sepahijala Zilla Parishad received Rs 5 crore, Kanchanbari Gram Panchayat received Rs 1 crore, and Bekucherra Gram Panchayat was awarded Rs 25 lakh. The Minister said these funds would further strengthen developmental activities in the respective Panchayat areas.
Highlighting Tripura’s consistent success at the national level, Barman noted that the state had won seven National Panchayat Awards last year, bringing nearly Rs 10 crore in financial grants. He added that the latest achievements once again demonstrate the effectiveness and capability of Tripura’s Panchayati Raj institutions.
The Minister also informed that Bekucherra Gram Panchayat recently earned a “Silver Award” under the National e-Governance Awards, one of the country’s most prestigious recognitions for excellence in governance through technology, transparency, accountability, and efficient public service delivery.
Referring to the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0, Barman said it has become an important benchmark for evaluating Panchayat performance across sectors such as rural development, health, education, environmental protection, women’s empowerment, livelihood generation, and public services. He stressed that the National Panchayat Awards are now based on measurable performance indicators and data-driven assessments.
Tripura has also performed remarkably in the second phase of PAI, with nearly 80 percent of the state’s Panchayats achieving “Front Runner” status. In category-wise rankings, the Municipal Village Committee (MVC) of Muralikanta Nagar Village Committee in Sepahijala district secured the top position in the country.
The Minister credited the achievements to the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, along with the collective efforts of Panchayat representatives and officials. He expressed confidence that Tripura’s Panchayati Raj institutions would continue to serve as a model for the nation in the areas of development, transparency, technology-driven governance, and citizen-centric service delivery.
The press conference was attended by Sepahijala Zilla Parishad Sabhadhipati Supriya Das Dutta, Kanchanbari Gram Panchayat Pradhan Shelly Bhowmik, Hezamara BAC Chairman Sunil Debbarma, and Panchayat Department Joint Director Anurag Sen, among others.