India will commemorate National Panchayati Raj Day on April 24, marking thirty-two years since the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 granted constitutional status to Panchayati Raj institutions as pillars of rural self-governance. The main event will be held at Lohna Uttar Gram Panchayat in Jhanjharpur Block, Madhubani District, Bihar, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address Gram Sabhas across the country. The Prime Minister will also confer the Special Category National Panchayat Awards 2025.
This year’s observance adopts a Whole-of-Government approach, bringing together six Union Ministries: Rural Development, Housing and Urban Affairs, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Power, Railways, and Road Transport and Highways. Modi will dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stone for several welfare and infrastructure projects linked to these ministries, including LPG bottling plants, electrification projects, housing schemes, railway infrastructure, and road development, amounting to approximately 13,500 crores. Financial assistance under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin and Urban) and the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission will also be disbursed during the program. These initiatives aim to strengthen connectivity, improve essential services, and boost economic opportunities in rural India, particularly Bihar.
Several dignitaries will attend the event, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Bihar Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, Bihar Panchayati Raj Minister Kedar Prasad Gupta, Bihar Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena, and Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj Vivek Bharadwaj. Senior officers from participating ministries and representatives from Panchayati Raj institutions will also be present.
The Special Category National Panchayat Awards 2025 include the Climate Action Special Panchayat Award, Atma Nirbhar Panchayat Special Award, and Panchayat Kshamta Nirman Sarvottam Sansthan Puraskar. These awards recognize Gram Panchayats and institutions demonstrating excellence in climate resilience, fiscal self-reliance, and capacity building. Awardees hail from states including Bihar, Maharashtra, Odisha, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, and Assam. Notably, three of the six awarded Gram Panchayats—Motipur in Bihar, Dawwa S in Maharashtra, and Hatbadra in Odisha—are led by women Sarpanches, reflecting growing inclusive leadership at the grassroots level.
The observance of National Panchayati Raj Day at the Gram Panchayat level underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring that strengthened Panchayati Raj institutions form the foundation of India’s broader development goals. Through the investments announced and the recognition of high-performing Panchayats, the event highlights efforts to empower rural communities and enhance governance at the grassroots level.
