On the occasion of Civil Services Day on Friday, PM Narendra Modi felicitated over a dozen bureaucrats with the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration for their extraordinary contribution towards nation-building.
Indian Masterminds brings to you these 13 civil servants and their success stories here:-
ANURAG JAIN
A 1989 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, Mr. Anurag Jain, was awarded for PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan. He is currently on deputation to the Center as Secretary of Road, Transport and Highways Ministry.
He was honoured for his excellent work in the Covid-19 vaccination programme and PM Gati Shakti. Mr. Jain was health secretary during the pandemic breakout.
While serving as Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). He made several innovations for infrastructure development to promote internal trade by 2047. Besides doing a great job in formulating the PM Gati Shakti Master Plan.
RAJESH BHUSHAN
This 1987 IAS officer of Bihar cadre, was awarded for National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme
in Innovation Centre. Mr. Rajesh Bhushan is Secretary, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Amid increasing cases of coronavirus, Mr Bhushan was appointed as the Secretary of the MoHFW in July 2020. He presided over the functioning of the department immediately after the first Covi-19 wave in India and during the entire period spanning the devastating second wave till it ebbed.
DR SYED SEHRISH ASGAR
This second-generation IAS officer of 2013 batch first came into prominence after dealing with rumour-mongers in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370.
Currently DM of Baramulla, Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar has done a wonderful job in the field of health, education and agriculture to bring many districts up on the achievement meter.
The MBBS doctor-turned-IAS contributed to the Aspirational District Programme, specifically for her efforts in establishing Birth Waiting Wards in Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres, upgrading diagnostic services at all delivery points, and providing Poshan Tracker Tabs for all Anganwadi workers, among others.
ABHISHEK ANAND
2014 batch IAS officer of UP cadre, Mr Abhishek Anand, the DM of Chitrakoot, was honored by PM Modi for his work in the field of Holistic Education.
He worked on plans to enhance the quality of education for the girl child, children with special needs and school children. Under his able leadership, the number of students enrolled increased by about 10% with his initiatives.
M NAGARAJAN
The 2009 batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre Mr M Nagarajan (IAS) have been awarded for promotion of quality education with an equitable and inclusive classroom environment through
Samagra Shiksha (Holistic Education).
The DM of Mahesana has done tremendous work in 994 primary schools of the district in foundational literacy and numeracy.
RAVINDRA KUMAR MANDER
A 2013 batch IAS officer of UP cadre, Mr Ravindra Kumar Mander has been DM of Rampur, UP since March, 2021.
His innovative steps in launching a campaign named ‘Samvardhan-Suposhit Rampur’ that brought great results in the nourishment of the child population won him the PM award.
In coordination with the local Farmers Producers Association (FPO), food nutrition kits containing nutritious elements were prepared and distributed to children and women. In the last two years, more than 5000 children, anemic pregnant and lactating women and malnourished adolescent girls were nourished.
Under his guidance, the state’s first millets shop was opened in Rampur in view of International Millets Year 2023. Under Mission Muskaan, the district also established the Child Care and Protection Fund.
SUNNY K SINGH
The 2018 batch IAS officer and DC of Changlang District in Arunachal Pradesh, Mr Sunny Singh has been awarded for the implementation of New Age Learning Center (NALC) in Innovation District category.
He started a NALC library to promote multiple learning among the youths and children. Under his leadership, the administration built the centre to provide children of various age groups with fun and interactive learning under one single roof.
Speaking with Indian Masterminds, Mr Singh gives credit to the whole district and said, “It is a team effort. This awards will motivates us to do more such things. The library is designed to provide end to end learning solutions at single delivery point by integrating the features of library, motivation centre, personality development space, skill training centre and fun learning unit to make the learning more comprehensive as well interesting at the same time.”
BHAVYA MITTAL
The 2014 batch IAS officer and DM of Burhanpur district in Madhya Pradesh, Ms Bhavya Mittal has been awarded for Promoting Swachh Jal (Clean Jal) through Har Ghar Jal Yojana.
Burhanpur has carved its name among those few districts in the country, where drinking water is supplied to every household through taps.
Ms. Mittal arranged monthly salary in Burhanpur for the operation of this scheme. Promoting women empowerment, she also gave important responsibility to women self-help groups in running the scheme.
Drinking water is being provided to more than one lakh families of 254 villages of 167 gram
panchayats of Burhanpur district under the scheme.
DR. M AARTHI
The 2012 batch IAS batch officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, Ms M Aarthi have been awarded for Promoting Swachh Jal (Clean Jal) through Har Ghar Jal Yojana.
She is the collector of Kancheepuram District in Tamil Nadu since June, 2022. Under her leadership, Kancheepuram envisages that every household and public institution will have potable water supply in adequate quantity with prescribed quality on a regular and long-term basis by 2024.
PRITHVIRAJ BP
IAS officer and DM of Latur, Maharashtra, Mr Prithviraj BP has been awarded for promoting Swasth Bharat (Healthy Bharat) through Health and Wellness Centres.
Under his guidance, the district provided health services to nearly 50 lakh people through its wide network of primary health centers and sub-centres. Latur has 233 Arogyavardhani (welfare) centers under the Centre’s flagship Ayushman Bharat scheme.
RAVI SUBHASH PATTANSHETTI
2013 batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, Mr Ravi Pattanshetti was awarded for promoting Swasth Bharat through Health & Wellness Centres in Public Administration-2022.
He is the collector of Anakapalli district. The district has recorded 100% screening of suspected population for hypertension and diabetes.
Mr Ravi said that the family physician concept and wellness centres have proved to be a game-changer in health services in the State. As many as 465 rural health wellness centres have been coupled with family physician concept.
SUSHANT GAURAV
The 2014 batch IAS officer and DC of Gumla district in Jharkhand, Mr Sushant Gaurav has been awarded for Holistic Development through Aspirational District Program – overall progress with a special focus on saturation approach.
Under his guidance, the district promoted Ragi Mission to another level. It has done tremendous work in the eradication of anemia.
ABOUT THE AWARD
Started in 2006 by the Government of India, earlier this award was based on the performance of the district rather than the district collector or individual civil servant.
In 2014, several changes were made in the selection process of this award. Reorganizing it again in 2020, it now recognizes the performance of district collectors evaluating them on five parameters.
