SRINAGAR: Wagoora Gram Panchayat in central Kashmir’s Budgam district has secured third place at the national level in the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (DDUPSVP) 2025 under the “Socially Just and Socially Secured Panchayat” category, earning a cash award of Rs 25 lakh.
The award was presented at the National Panchayat Awards ceremony held at the Scope Convention Centre in New Delhi, where Union Minister for Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Minister of State for Panchayati Raj S.P. Singh Baghel handed over the award to a five-member delegation from Jammu and Kashmir’s Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.
Wagoora was selected following a national-level evaluation involving Panchayats from across the country. As part of the assessment process, a team from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj conducted an on-site inspection of the Gram Panchayat in B.K. Pora block of Budgam district.
The inspection included verification of welfare scheme implementation, public infrastructure and service delivery across sectors including health, education, the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and MGNREGA.
Officials said the assessment team inspected Anganwadi centres, health institutions, self-help groups and community assets, and reviewed beneficiary records, service delivery mechanisms and implementation of government programmes.
According to officials, Wagoora serves a population of around 4,000 and achieved 100 per cent coverage under the Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS) and National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) pension schemes for senior citizens and widows through special outreach campaigns and Gram Sabha initiatives.
The Panchayat was recognised for its performance in areas related to social justice, social security, welfare delivery and grassroots governance.
Officials said the Rs 25 lakh award will be utilised for further developmental works in the Panchayat. They added that the recognition reflects the contribution of Panchayati Raj Institutions, elected representatives, local communities and field-level functionaries in implementing welfare and development programmes.
